The National Museum as the Met, or on the Contemporary Significance of Provenance Studies

Ewa Manikowska

konteksty@ispan.pl
Instytut Sztuki PAN (Poland)
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6633-823X

Abstract

This article – by referring to numerous and celebrated examples – discusses the growing significance of provenance studies within the activity pursued by museums all over the world. The author indicates their specific foundations and research instruments, as well as ethical and legal premises. In doing so she presents the emergent evolution due to which provenance studies have become today an indicator of the social mission conducted by museums. A thus outlined background developed into a point of departure for an analysis of the case of Polish museums. The article indicates serious negligence within this range and proposes a thesis claiming that this is the reason for an immense and increasing hiatus not solely between the praxis of Polish museums and world institutions but also between the awareness and sensitivity of Polish and global

researchers and curators Moreover, the article possesses also a postulative character: it indicates the path of introducing a thought out, complex, and consistent policy of provenance studies without which Polish institutions will increasingly diverge from the contemporary model of museology based on historical and social sensitivity, ethics, cooperation, and trust.


Keywords:

ethics, restitution, art market, provenance research, Washington Principles, Polish war losses

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Published
2024-12-23

Cited by

Manikowska, E. (2024) “The National Museum as the Met, or on the Contemporary Significance of Provenance Studies”, Konteksty, 346(3), pp. 42–50. doi: 10.36744/k.3400.

Authors

Ewa Manikowska 
konteksty@ispan.pl
Instytut Sztuki PAN Poland
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6633-823X

Ewa Manikowska – historyczka sztuki i kultury, muzealniczka. Od 2004 roku pracuje w Instytucie Sztuki PAN, przez wiele lat związana była z Muzeum Narodowym w Warszawie, gdzie w latach 2016–2020 była specjalistką ds. badań proweniencyjnych. Jej zainteresowana badawcze koncentrują się na problematyce kolekcjonerstwa, historii muzeów i bibliotek, dziedzictwa kulturowego, restytucji i historii fotografii. Jest autorką książek i opracowań poświęconych między innymi zagadnieniom kolekcjonerstwa Stanisława Augusta, drezdeńskiej działalności Bernarda Bellotta, fotografii i kształtowania się tożsamości kulturowych w Europie Wschodniej, a także dziedzictwa cyfrowego.



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