Provenance research

The history of the collection and the origin of its objects

Stiftung Insel Hombroich is aware of its respon­si­bi­lity to trace the history of the coll­ec­tion holdings. The aim is to recon­s­truct changes in location, ownership or property, i.e. to disclose how the objects came into the posses­sion of the foun­da­tion. Of parti­cular relevance to proven­ance research at Stiftung Insel Hombroich are works of art created before 1945, as well as art and cultural objects from colonial contexts.

Selected areas of the coll­ec­tion are presently being examined in coope­ra­tion with the Coor­di­na­tion Office for Proven­ance Research NRW (KPF.NRW) in Bonn.

With financial support from the district govern­ment, the history of the 40 Khmer objects from the Karl-Heinrich Müller coll­ec­tion is currently being rese­ar­ched. The aim of the project is to conduct an in-depth inves­ti­ga­tion into the sculp­tures and the circum­s­tances of their acqui­si­tion in their country of origin, as well as to trace them on the art market. In addition, the foun­da­tion is already working with the German Centre for Lost Cultural Property (DZK) on a project to reapp­raise cultural objects from Oceania and Australia, as well as on an ‘initial check’ into Nazi-looted art in order to determine the need for more in-depth proven­ance research.

Erwin Heerich: Catalogue raisonné of works made of paper and cardboard

Erwin Heerich, Paper and Cardboard: Sifting, Saving, Making Visible

With the walk-in sculp­tures at Museum Insel Hombroich and addi­tional buildings at Rake­ten­sta­tion Hombroich, the work of sculptor Erwin Heerich (1922–2004) has a signi­fi­cant influence on the overall appearance of the site. His artistic estate, which has been kept and looked after here since 2010, forms the basis for the catalogue raisonné of his paper and cardboard works, which is acces­sible to the public.

This was compiled on behalf of Stiftung Insel Hombroich by Dr Felix Billeter in colla­bo­ra­tion with Dr Julia Cwojd­zinski. Dr Silke Röckelein imple­mented the catalogue raisonné as an online catalogue with up-to-date additions and revisions. At this point it comprises around 3,900 objects, the majority of which are in the Foundation’s holdings.

We would like to thank the numerous insti­tu­tions and coll­ec­tors who reported works from their holdings and provided infor­ma­tion for the catalogue. Above all, however, we are indebted to the Land­schafts­ver­band Rheinland (LVR), the Kunst­stif­tung NRW and the City of Neuss, who have made the project possible with their generous financial support. The prints, paintings, textile works and objects made of stone, brass and wood are complete this catalogue in the future.

Online-Catalogue raisonné

Research internship: The life and work of Anatol

ANATOL: Examining the life and work of the artist with a particular focus on his central role at Hombroich and his importance to the project.

Sculptor, painter and perfor­mance artist Anatol Herzfeld (1931–2019) leaves behind an extensive and diverse estate that ranges from photos, corre­spon­dence and newspaper clippings to works ranging from his charac­te­ristic sculp­tures to filigree drawings. From 1982 onwards, he had his own studio at Museum Insel Hombroich and, as one of the founder figures, helped to shape Hombroich for over 30 years.

Jana Crone was recruited for the two-year research intern­ship. It began on January 1, 2023, and is part of the Research Intern­ship Program for Art Museums in North Rhine-West­phalia, which was funded by the Ministry of Culture and Science of the State of North Rhine-West­phalia and took place in coope­ra­tion with Heinrich Heine Univer­sity Düssel­dorf. Valentina Vlašić (coll­ec­tion curator, Museum Kunsthaus Kleve) and Prof. Dr. Timo Skrandies (Heinrich Heine Univer­sity Düssel­dorf) provided advice and support for the project.

Research internship: Redefining De Stijl – Bart van der Leck

Figure, Space, Abstraction – Redefining De Stijl: The Bart van der Leck Collection at the Stiftung Insel Hombroich

The Stiftung Insel Hombroich owns 84 works by the Dutch painter and designer Bart van der Leck (1876–1958), who – along with Piet Mondrian and Theo van Doesburg – was one of the leading pioneers of the De Stijl movement. For the first time, the research trai­nee­ship compre­hen­si­vely inves­ti­gated the Hombroich coll­ec­tion and devoted itself to the art-theo­re­tical and cultural-histo­rical contexts asso­ciated with it. You can find more infor­ma­tion about the project here.

The project was carried out from 2020 to 2022 in coope­ra­tion with the Research Volunteer Programme Kunst­mu­seen NRW of the Heinrich Heine Univer­sity Düssel­dorf and with Prof. Dr. Alexander Mark­schies, Professor of Art History at RWTH Aachen Univer­sity. The trainees were Kaja Boelcke (1st year) and Maren Klink­hamer (2nd year). Project funding was provided by the Ministry of Culture and Science of the State of North Rhine-West­phalia. It was concluded with the exhi­bi­tion COLOUR IMAGE SPACE. Bart van der Leck in Dialogue.