Zurich parliament insists on Bührle art collection provenance research
The Zurich cantonal parliament is insisting that the Zurich Art Society and the Bührle Foundation clarify the provenance of all paintings at their own expense. On Monday, it wrote off the urgent postulate from politicians on the reappraisal of the Bührle collection.
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The parliament voted 87 to 83 in favour of the dissenting opinion requested by the Commission for Education and Culture (KBIK).
In 2022, the parliament narrowly referred the postulate, calling on the government to work with the City of Zurich to fully clarify the provenance of the paintings that the Bührle Foundation had lent to the Kunsthaus Zurich for exhibition.
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The report presented in 2024 by historian Raphael Gross made it clear that the Bührle Foundation’s research to date was insufficient, emphasised KBIK President Karin Fehr Thoma.
A majority therefore called on the Art Society and the Bührle Foundation, which are responsible, to clarify the provenance of all the paintings at their own expense
Time for a clean slate
Several political parties supported the dissenting opinion. One politician said that it was in everyone’s interest that “the slate is finally wiped clean”.
Politicians from the centre and right-wing parties spoke out against this. One said that the present report already “fully and completely” fulfilled its purpose and provided all relevant information.
Government minister Jacqueline Fehr emphasised that the canton shared political and ethical responsibility, but was standing on the sidelines in this matter. From a political point of view, responsibility lies with the city, and with the foundation and the art society for provenance research.
Translated from German by DeepL/jdp
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