ForNet – Forgeries and Networks. A Chance for Provenance Research

The research project “ForNet – Forgeries and Networks,” aims to gain new insights into the network of collecting and preserving institutions, forgers, experts, and the art market using the Mittheilungen journal. The Mittheilungen, published between 1899 and 1939, contained information on exposed forgeries and suspected cases, but was only available to members of the association behind it. The project uses historical network analysis and archive-focused analytical work to identify patterns and carry out targeted investigations, which hold potential for provenance research. The Mittheilungen allowed sensitive information about buyers, collectors, and works of art to be published without hesitation, particularly regarding objects from colonial contexts. The association's annual conferences and influential members also facilitated international networking and internal coordination, and acted as a central point of contact for the publication of art thefts from public and private collections until 1945. The project's findings are to be presented as poster contributions.