This presentation examines the historical factors that shaped the development of the European Paintings Collection at the National Museum in Poznań, while addressing the current challenges it faces. A key issue stems from insufficient documentation and inventory, particularly related to looted objects during World War II and post-war nationalization. These gaps have resulted in ongoing difficulties in verifying provenance and determining rightful ownership.
The case studies presented will illustrate the scale of provenance challenges, including missing or incomplete records, complex ownership claims, and efforts to restitute looted items. The analysis investigates the legal and political complexities surrounding Poland’s demands for the restitution of cultural losses from the Second World War, and, more broadly, its pursuit of war reparations. This is contrasted with the issue of artworks from German state museums that are now housed in Polish collections. The paper further explores the broader context of national and transnational ownership disputes, revealing how political dynamics influence museum restitution processes and complicate resolution of collection disputes.
Martyna Łukasiewicz is an art historian and curator at the National Museum in Poznan. She is a PhD candidate in art history with a dissertation dedicated to 19th century Danish museology. Her research interests encompass the 19th-century European painting, museology, and the history of collecting. She curated the first exhibition of Vilhelm Hammershøi in Poland (2021/2022). She presented her research findings at various international conferences, including the University of Copenhagen, University of Oxford, Humboldt University of Berlin, and University of Geneva. She is a member of CODART, the Association for Art History, the Association of Art Historians in Poland.