The history of ownership, or provenance, of some objects is clear cut; however, others have histories that are complex or less known. Many passed through numerous hands over time. Sometimes there are gaps of information that are not possible to resolve. As we look at proposed new acquisitions and our existing collections, we are mindful of how colonialism, confiscation, enforceable sale, looting, and theft may have impacted an object. It is the work of museum curators and other staff to research and try to fill in those gaps in an object’s provenance. We aim to share each artwork’s history based on available documentation to better understand possible legal and ethical issues. For many objects, this research takes time and can continue over several years.
Consistent with its mission to be a place that strengthens our community by preserving, presenting, and interpreting art, the Walters does so in accordance with currently accepted legal standards and best practices in the art museum field. As ethical standards evolve, the museum attempts to align its collection policies with both currently accepted museum standards and the standards of our community. Whenever possible, the Walters shares online the provenance of an object in the collection to make known its ownership history. If you have information related to the ownership histories of specific objects in the Walters collection, please write to: [email protected].