Henri Matisse

This work is included in the Provenance Research Project, which investigates the ownership history of works in MoMA's collection.

Alphonse Kann (1870–1948), Saint-Germain-en-Laye, by 1931 [1] ; confiscated during the Nazi occupation by the ERR (Einsatzstab Reichsleiter Rosenberg), October 1940 [2]; traded by the ERR to Gustav Rochlitz in exchange for an Old Master painting acquired for the Hermann Goering collection, February 9, 1942 [3]. Restituted by the Commission de récupération artistique, Paris to Alphonse Kann, London, July 1947 [4]; by inheritance to his niece Hélène Bokanowski, Paris, 1948 [5]; sold to Galerie Beyeler, Basel, 1956 [6]; sold through Knoedler & Co., New York to The Museum of Modern Art , New York, 1956 [7].

[1] Lender to the exhibition Henri-Matisse, Galeries Georges Petit, Paris, June 1- July 25, 1931, no. 39 (La Table de marbre rose). See also Roger Fry, "Henri Matisse," Cahiers d'art, vol. 5-8 (1931), p. 290; repr. p. 58.
[2] The painting was stored at the Jeu de Paume in Paris. ERR inventory card KA 1060: Tisch im Garten.
[3] One from a group of seven paintings (one by Leger, two by Braque, two by Matisse, one by Picasso, and one by de Chirico) exchanged by the ERR for one painting by the "School of the Master of Frankfurt." See OSS DIR #4 Gustav Rochlitz, ERR #13, pp. 7, 10-11, no. 8 (Still Life), RG260 NARA M1946. Note that Rochlitz reported this painting (Still Life) to be lost in transport from Paris to Baden-Baden, June 1944.
OSS CIR# 1, exchange #13, no. 4, RG260 NARA M1946. See also contract between the ERR (Kurt von Behr) and Gustav Rochlitz, February 9, 1942, no. 4 [Stilleben] (OSS CIR #2, NARA RG260 M1946).
[4] "Liste des objets appartenant à M. Alphonse Kann," p. 6 (Matisse - Table et 3 prunes); and "Coll. Alphonse Kann - Restitution du 11 Juillet 1947," Dossier Kann, Archives de la Récupération Artistique, French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, La Courneuve.
[5] "Reçu de la Direction des Musées de France les tableaux ci-après désignés provenant de la collection de M. Alphonse Kann," October 22, 1948/November 9, 1948, Archives des musées nationaux, Paris.
[6] Included in the exhibition Maîtres de l’art modern, Galerie Beyeler, Basel, August-October, 1956, no. 28. Collection files, Department of Painting and Sculpture, The Museum of Modern Art, New York.
[7] Collection files, Department of Painting and Sculpture, The Museum of Modern Art, New York.

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