Switzerland - New contract to manage controversial Bührle collection
(MENAFN- Swissinfo)
A poster advertising the Bührle collection at the Kunsthaus in Zurich. © Keystone / Walter Bieri
The owners of the Bührle art collection and the Zurich museum where it is exhibited have signed a new contract to address some of the issues around the controversial origin of the works.
This content was published on February 25, 2022 - 10:53 February 25, 2022 - 10:53 Keystone-SDA/dos
- Español
(es)
Nuevo contrato para gestionar la polémica colección Bührle
The 203 paintings on display since October 2021 at the Kunsthaus Zurich have been the source of heated debate, with an independent panel of historians describing the exhibition as an insult to victims of Nazi looting.
The works are from the legacy collection of Emil Georg Bührle, a Swiss businessman who made his fortune selling arms to Germany during World War II, who bought art looted by the Nazis, and who benefitted from slave labour.
After making public the previous contract (signed in 2012) between the Kunsthaus and the Bührle Foundation late last year, the two parties on Thursday announced a new contract to address the issues, valid until 2034.
Washington Principles
The terms of this new deal explicitly indicate an alignment with the Washington Principles on Nazi-Confiscated Art, a 1998 international agreement about the restitution of art confiscated by the German regime before and during World War Two.
The contract also gives more responsibility and freedom to the Kunsthaus museum in presenting the works in a clearer context that explains the historical role of Bührle and the state of knowledge around the provenance of the works.
Thirdly, the museum will also be responsible for conducting further research into the origin of the paintings – previously this had been largely done by the Bührle Foundation.
MENAFN05032022000210011054ID1103799996
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.