Evening lecture series organized by the working group Italy of the Arbeitskreis Provenienzforschung e.V. This year‘s online lecture series will focus on three case studies about Nazi-fascist provenance research and beyond in the context of Italy.
The second lecture will be given by Sharon Hecker (Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore di Milano) on “Italy and the Question of Nazi-Fascist Looted Art: the Value of Provenance Research in the case of Umberto Boccioni’s ‘Maestra di scena: Ritratto della Signora Adalgisa Maffi’ (1909/1910)” (ENG)
The online lecture will take place online on 28 May 2025, 6:45 pm CEST. Link to join the event: us06web.zoom.us/j/81087170273?pwd=52GUeiIRDmmDegpW5SLpwNaj8YCJ1W.1
The event will be moderated by Katharina Hüls-Valenti (Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz / Deutsches Historisches Institut in Rom). Technical support will be provided by Cinzia Cattin (Deutsche Kinemathek, Berlin).
ABSTRACT:
A torn label, a suspicious surname, and an ownership date linked to Nazi-Fascist looting raised concerns about Umberto Boccioni’s Drama Teacher. Portrait of Mrs. Adalgisa Maffi (original title ‘Maestra di scena. Ritratto di Signora Adalgisa Maffi’) (1909/1910), listed as “lost” for over a decade after World War II. These details prompted questions about whether the painting had been looted or sold under duress. In today’s climate—marked by cultural restitutions and the Washington Principles, to which Italy adhered—the owner sought to clarify the work’s provenance. This lecture presents my investigation of the painting’s full ownership history, uncovered for the first time, tracing it back to its pre-war owner and investigating the suspicions surrounding it. Ultimately, the work was found not to have been looted, but the owner’s decision to investigate the issue, rather than ignore or hide it, was both ethical and morally responsible. The lecture underscores the value of meticulous provenance research and critical data analysis in assessing Italian artworks that traversed sensitive historical periods.
You must be logged in to post a comment.