Cleveland Museum of Art · CC0 1.0Knowing whether you can request a provenance
Almost all works can be the subject of provenance research. But the certificate is issued only if the applicant meets certain conditions and no legal obstacle stands in the way.
Admissibility is examined within five working days. It checks the applicant's identity, their right to act, the absence of a BIOP alert and the practical possibility of conducting research.
Works whose origin may be unlawful are not excluded outright: they are handled under a special procedure, described below.
The conditions in brief
The basic conditions
Depending on the applicant's situation
| Quality | Documents requested |
|---|---|
| Owner | Identity document, proof of acquisition or succession |
| Heir | Certificate of notoriety or of inheritance |
| Representative | Written mandate from the owner |
| Auction house | Consignment contract and seller's agreement |
| Museum or administration | Acquisition decision, identification of the institution |
Sensitive periods
Certain periods call for enhanced diligence: spoliations of the years 1933-1945, looting linked to armed conflicts, colonial periods, undeclared archaeological excavations.
For these periods, the file is entrusted to an expert with a recognised specialty, and the BIOP is searched for all successive owners, not just the work.
Work of doubtful origin
In which cases is the request inadmissible?
| Situation | What to do |
|---|---|
| BIOP alert on the work | Contact the Secretariat and the restitution department |
| Right to act not shown | Provide a mandate, a succession deed or a title |
| Unidentifiable work | Complete the photographs and description |
| Manifestly unlawful origin | Referral to the restitution procedure |
| Refusal of access to private archives | Allow consultation or withdraw |
The admissibility check
- Identity and capacity
Verification of the applicant's documents.
- BIOP search
Search on the work, the artist and the known owners.
- Assessment of sources
Estimate of the possibility of reconstructing the chain.
- Appointment of the expert
Choice of a specialty suited to the period.
- Quote
Final price and 30% deposit.
Work with simple or complex provenance
Simple provenance
Few owners, documents preserved- Timeframe of 3 to 4 weeks
- A single expert
- Few archives to consult
Standard file.
Complex provenance
Many owners or sensitive period- Timeframe of 5 to 6 weeks
- Multi-country research
- Search of looted-property databases
File with enhanced diligence.
![Bifolium from a Bible: Initial E[t factum est] with Ezekiel (c. 1290)](/images/bibliotheque/manuscrit/cma135736.webp)
Case study: a consigned lot
A prudent auction house
An auction house receives on consignment a bronze with no history before 1960.
- It submits a case with the seller's written consent.
- OIMAP searches the BIOP and the founder's archives.
- The expert reconstructs three owners between 1960 and today.
“Minor gaps” certificate: the sale is authorised with a mention in the catalogue.
Why strict conditions
« A fragile provenance is worse than no provenance: it creates a false sense of security. »
Vocabulary of conditions
- Enhanced diligence
- Increased level of examination for sensitive periods.
- Consignment
- Deposit of a work with a professional with a view to sale.
- Certificate of notoriety
- Deed establishing the capacity of heir.
- Restitution
- Return of a work to its lawful owner or State of origin.
Frequently asked questions
Can I request a provenance for a work bought last year?
Yes, with the purchase documents and the provenance supplied by the seller.
Must I authorise the consultation of my archives?
Yes, it is a condition. It is governed by a confidentiality undertaking.
Can the expert ask me for additional documents?
Yes, at any time; the timeframe is then suspended.
My file is inadmissible because of a BIOP alert: what should I do?
Contact the Secretariat. An alert can be lifted if it rests on an error.
Contacts
Related pages
File to provideAcquisition documents, archives, catalogues, exhibitions and photographs to gather for an application for a provenance certificate.›
RestitutionsReturning works to their lawful owners: 847 restitutions since 2007, ongoing cases and procedure for requesting a restitution.›
BIOP databaseThe international database of protected works: 48,200 stolen, lost or suspect works, searchable by all and enriched by police forces and museums.›
Prepare the file
Image credits (16)
- Seal of Doge Michele Steno (reverse) (1400–1409) — Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 1.0
- View of Venice, Jacopo de' Barbari (1500) — Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 1.0
- Letter Box, Ogata Kōrin (1700s) — Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 1.0
- Illuminated Opening Page Titled Laila and Majnun from a Khamsa (Quintet) of Nizami of Ganja, Ja'far Baisunghuri (835 AH/1431–32 CE) — The Metropolitan Museum of Art, CC0 1.0
- Sweet Melancholy, Joseph-Marie Vien (1756) — Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 1.0
- Nuova pianta di Roma data in luce da Giambattista Nolli l’anno MDCCXLVII, known as La Pianta Grande di Roma, Giovanni Battista Nolli (1748) — Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 1.0
- Carved Lacquer Scroll Box (1736–95) — Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 1.0
- Bifolium from a Bible: Initial E[t factum est] with Ezekiel (c. 1290) — Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 1.0
- Seal with Two Qilin Playing (1849) — Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 1.0
- Nuova pianta di Roma data in luce da Giambattista Nolli l’anno MDCCXLVII, known as La Pianta Grande di Roma, Giovanni Battista Nolli (1748) — Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 1.0
- Fish or Seal Club (X’ús’) (late 1800s–early 1900s) — Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 1.0
- The Apotheosis of Romulus: Design for a Ceiling, Domenico Maria Canuti (c. 1675–76) — Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 1.0
- Teapot with Landscape and Imperial Poem, Chen Hanwen (1762–95) — Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 1.0
- Beaded Hat or Headpiece (early 1900s(?)) — Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 1.0
- Mirror with Concentric Circles and Linked Arcs (late 300s BCE–50 CE) — Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 1.0
- A Manuscript of Five Sections of a Qur'an (18th century) — The Metropolitan Museum of Art, CC0 1.0