Lost and Found: The Work of Christie's Restitution Department
Monday 22 January 2024, 6 - 7.30pm
Join the Friends in the Kettle’s Yard house for a special talk from Richard Aronowitz- Mercer, global head of restitution at Christie’s. Richard will be speaking about his role at Christie’s as a 1933 – 1945 provenance and restitution expert, the background to the work of his department and the difficult issues and challenges that he encounters in this important work, with reference to some of the most interesting cases of loss and recovery that he has been involved with over the last 15 years.
Further Information
Richard will talk about a range of mostly Impressionist & Modern works of art that were owned by Jewish collectors or Jewish families before Nazism in Europe which have emerged over recent years on the art market to have their histories revealed and their title claims resolved by Christie’s and other major international art dealers and specialist experts. Their narratives tell both the stories of objects and the stories of individuals and families.
Although a large amount of the items were recovered by the Monuments, Fine Arts, and Archives programme set up by the Allied powers in 1943 to safeguard and recover historic and cultural monuments and artefacts, many are still missing and international efforts to identify those that remain unaccounted for are ongoing.
The talk will finish with a question and answer session, and refreshments will be offered in the welcome area following the talk.
Event organiser: Sally Knowles
About Richard Aronowitz
Richard Aronowitz joined Christie’s as its global head of restitution in March 2022. Previously he was Senior Director and the European Head of Restitution at Sotheby’s.
Gallery
Access
There is level access from Castle Street. From Northampton Street there is stepped access to Kettle’s Yard. There are automatic doors at the entrance to Kettle’s Yard.
The ground floor extension area of the house is accessible for wheelchair users with a ramp. There is no lift in the house.
