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Provenance

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Understanding where our collection comes from

The provenance of an artwork tells us the history of the work’s ownership from the time the work is created to when it is acquired by the gallery. Provenance is used to help confirm legal ownership of a work of art. Knowing the history of ownership also provides us with other valuable historical information, such as its cultural significance, or how the work might have influenced other artists at the time.

We are committed to only acquiring works of art in line with the highest standards of due diligence. Due diligence involves a complete assessment of the work’s past and current ownership. This assists us in:

  • evaluating the work’s authenticity
  • identifying any gaps in its history of ownership
  • thoroughly investigating any gaps or concerns about its ownership
  • considering cultural sensitivities and ethical issues
  • establishing that the work was lawfully obtained.

In July 2021, the National Gallery introduced a new provenance assessment framework. If, on the balance of probability, the Gallery considers a work was likely stolen, illegally excavated, exported in contravention of the law of a foreign country, or unethically acquired, we take all the necessary steps to return it to its country or community of origin. This process is known as deaccession and repatriation.

You can find out more about artworks held in our national collection here.

Do you have information about any of the works of art in our collection?

We would love to hear from you. To share your knowledge, please email us at provenance@nga.gov.au.

Stories & Ideas


Provenance

Right of return: Cambodia

A picture of three bronze sculptures of Cambodian deities

The National Gallery celebrates the repatriation of three bronze sculptures to the Kingdom of Cambodia.

Read Time 7 minutes
Provenance

The right of return

Lawyer Ian Mcdonald discusses the legal and ethical issues that arise in relation to collections held by galleries and museum.

Read Time 10 minutes
Provenance

Right of return: New Zealand

In May 2022, Crispin Howarth, National Gallery Curator for Pacific Arts, travelled with the Tupuna to safely return it to Aotearoa/New Zealand.

Read Time 5 minutes
Provenance

Right of return: Pakistan

The Head of a bodhisattva marks the first repatriation of a work to a country other than India under the auspices of the Asian art collection review.

Read Time 6 minutes
Provenance

National Gallery recognises launch of Digital Benin

The National Gallery is delighted to recognise the launch of Digital Benin, an extraordinary resource for present-day Nigeria.

Read Time 4 minutes
Provenance

Right of return: India

A limestone carved sculptured of people worshipping a diety

In 2016, art historian Robert Arlt, alerted the National Gallery to evidence that a work in the collection was likely to have been illegally sourced.

Read Time 5 minutes
Provenance

Right of return: Papua New Guinea

Senior Curator Grace Vele with NMAG staff cataloguing the objects into the NMAG collection.

In May 2022, Crispin Howarth, National Gallery Curator for Pacific Arts, travelled with the Tupuna to safely return it to Aotearoa/New Zealand.

Read Time 4 minutes
Pacific Art

A surrealist, a forger and the return of ancestral remains
Pacific Arts

In 2019, a work in the National Gallery collection was identified as both inauthentic, a forgery, and sadly created from Māori ancestral remains.

Read Time 11 minutes

Projects


Investigating the provenance of our collections

The Gallery is currently reviewing the provenance of several of our significant collections. Compiling an accurate and unbroken history of ownership is a long process. Documentation may be lost or intentionally hidden, such as during wartime, or never have existed. Oral histories of works passed on as family heirlooms may become distorted and people selling work through dealers or auction houses may have requested their identity remain anonymous. We continually update the National Gallery website as new information is uncovered.

You can find out more about artworks held in our national collection here.

Painting of native grasses after the rain in pink, yellow, black, and white.

Emily Kam Kngwarray, Anmatyerr people, Ntang Dreaming, 1989, National Gallery of Australia, Kamberri/Canberra, purchased 1989 © Emily Kam Kngwarray/Copyright Agency

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art

We are researching the provenance of our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art collection.

More
watercolour of the goddess Lakshmi sitting on a lotus throne with elephants on either side that sprinkle water from the holy River Ganges

Kalighat Style, Lakshmi, Goddess of Prosperity and Beauty, lustrated by elephants [Gajalakshmi], 1855–60, The Gayer-Anderson Gift 1954

Asian Art

We are reviewing the provenance of our Asian art collection.

More
Impressionist painting of haystacks in a field with trees in the background

Claude Monet, Meules, milieu du jour [Haystacks, midday], 1890, purchased 1979

European and American Art

We are investigating the ownership of art in our collection that was in Europe between 1933 and 1945.

More

Repatriations


Since 2014, the Gallery has repatriated over 200 works of art to their countries of origin. This essential collection review is part of an ongoing commitment to ethical collection management.

MORE

More information


Provenance

Protection of Cultural Objects on Loan

A large spherical sculpture hanging from large wires in the sky is visible through a gap in tree branches

The National Gallery is an approved borrowing institution under the Protection of Cultural Objects on Loan Act.

Provenance

Australian and International Conventions

Photograph of people sitting at desks in library in front of book stacks

Acquiring and Borrowing Cultural Material.

Provenance

Gallery Policies

Photograph of building interior with concrete framing couple in distance

Detailed information on policies relating to acquiring and exhibiting works of art at the National Gallery.

How to Read Provenance Information

Photograph of woman seated at table with laptop and archival material surrounding her

Charting the changes in ownership of a work of art depends on documents such as wills, archives, receipts, auction sales and dealers' receipts.

Enquiries & Claims


Art Enquiries and Claims

Follow the Art Enquiries and Claims Handling Procedure to make a claim or enquiry about a work of art in the collection of the National Gallery or on loan to us, or if you want additional information about a work.

More

Related


Provenance

South Asia

Close up photograph of conservator fixing colourful textile on table

The art of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka has always been central to the NGA collection.

Provenance

Gayer-Anderson Collection

Painting of a man seated on an elephant. Two men hold spears with one being tripped by the elephant's trunk.

We are keen to hear from you about this project, so please share your knowledge.

Provenance

Right of return: New Zealand

In May 2022, Crispin Howarth, National Gallery Curator for Pacific Arts, travelled with the Tupuna to safely return it to Aotearoa/New Zealand.

Read Time 5 minutes
Video

Artists Look at Art: Activating the Peter Townsend Collection of Chinese prints at the National Gallery of Australia

Published 26 May 2023

This two-day workshop about the Peter Townsend collection was attended by Australian artists, academics and curators at the Gallery.

Provenance

Southeast Asia

A red, green and blue tapestry richly embroidered with gold thread forming flowering trees and a pair of bouraq, a mythical winged animal

The NGA celebrates the remarkable art of Southeast Asia.

Provenance

East Asia

Ceramic sculpture of saddled horse

The NGA has a significant collection of works of art from East Asia, in particular China and Japan.

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Yuuma, Gurruburri

The National Gallery acknowledges the Ngunnawal and Ngambri peoples, the Traditional Custodians of the Kamberri/Canberra region, and recognises their continuous connection to culture, community and Country.

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