Legacy Lines: Researching Art Provenance

Catalog description

A finished work of art can captivate the viewer, but often the journey of that work from the maker’s studio to a gallery or museum exhibition is equally compelling. These often-concealed narratives can answer important questions about authorship, patronage, and the movement of artwork overall. In this course, students will pursue such questions by delving into the world of art provenance and attribution. Students will research different facets of provenance for a selected work from Tulane University’s Newcomb Art Museum (NAM) to resolve questions about its past that currently remain unanswered. Complementing this ongoing research will be students’ exposure to the best practices in terms of art historical research and provenance development cultivated with course readings and visiting speakers while also confronting the ethical and financial implications that attribution, provenance, and ownership can raise. For students interested in the museum or art world, this course can provide invaluable exposure to core considerations to professional practice.