Deutsch

Galerie Thannhauser Archive

Welcome to the most extensive resource for the study and comprehension of the records of Moderne Galerie Thannhauser (Munich, Berlin, Luzern & New York).

Heinrich Thannhauser (b. 1859 - d. 1934) opened Moderne Galerie Thannhauser in Munich in 1909. As well as bringing French impressionist and modern art to his wealthy clients, he also was one of the most important early promoters of Expressionist Art in Germany.

Left: Edgar Degas, Vincent Van Gogh, Claude Monet and Pablo Picasso artworks exhibited by Galerie Thannhauser 1916 - 1918

Heinrich's son Justin Thannhauser (b. 1892 – d. 1976) was also a key member of the Galerie, opening branches of the Moderne Galerie Thannhauser in Luzern (1919) and then in Berlin (1927), the Munich Galerie closed in 1928.

In 1937, with the Nazi's in power in Germany, the Berlin Gallery business was confiscated. However, Justin Thannhauser had emigrated to Paris, where he ran a gallery from there until 1941 until the German occupation forced him to escape to New York, where he established another gallery.

The majority of the Galerie Thannhauser Administrative Archives are held in ZADIK in Koln. However, the period between 1909 – 1920 is not accurately archived and represents a critical period of time when Galerie Thannhauser was moving significant European Impressionist & Modern Art into Germany, Austria-Hungary until Nov 1918, Austria from November 1918, Switzerland and up into Scandinavia. It is also hard to understand the stock numbering systems Thannhauser uses over the period 1909 – mid-1920's. For example; the first Stock book or 'Lagerbuch 1' shows many artworks from the period before 1920 being entered as originating from Galerie Thannhauser in Munich, the details of when the artworks originally came into Galerie Thannhauser in Munich are completely absent.

We also brought together many of the Thannhauser's earliest exhibition catalogues from various libraries, some of these catalogues, despite their early printing date are illustrated so we were able to directly compare the early stock book from Galerie Munich to Galerie Munich Catalogues to identify precisely the artworks Thannhauser held.

Archive documents exchanged between key institutions for art loans from Galerie Thannhauser were also added to our database.

We wanted to straighten out the art historical record to protect and inform our clients seeking early provenance clarification on artworks. Therefore; we pulled together as many records into one location and studied every part, to see exactly what records exist and which do not. With the data we recovered from the original material we were able to re-calibrate the Munich Galley's 1st stock book, and understand Thannhauser's network of dealers, agents and collectors. The exercise recovered the deeper provenance on many significant artworks not recorded in catalogue Raisonnes.

We recorded the data in chronological order to identify the missing fragments of time. We recorded where each bit of information recorded came from in the original source documentation and code linked each bit of archival material used into the database. Sometimes we needed to take data from 3 or 4 archival sources to build a complete 'stock book entry'.

The aim of the work was to build the most comprehensive resource for the study of Thannhasuer's stock and how the stock appeared in administration records and communications over time.

We built this resource so researchers, curators, art collectors & art lawyers can obtain an impartial, clear, concise and timely answer to difficult questions about the provenance of artworks Thannhauser traded.

Database / Stock Book Format:

Our Database / Stock Book is formatted to match 'Lagerbuch 1' and also includes the source material used to find the information and our notes:

Chronological no.

Stock no.

Artist

Title

Purchased from & Date

Dates on cards

Sold to & date

price

Client Material no.

Original material source code

Notes

Artists Researched

Galerie Thannhauser's artists that were of major focus are:

Paul Cezanne Edgar Degas Paul Gauguin Camille Pissarro Albert Marquet Othon Frieze Henri Matisse

Berthe Morizot Odilon Redon Pierre Auguste Renoir Pablo Picasso Edward Manet Edvard Munch Andre Derain

Vincent Van Gogh Claude Monet Georges Rouault Pierre Bonnard Ferdinand Hodler Toulouse-Lautrec Alfred Sisley

Key Outcomes:

The broadest understanding of the contents of the Munich Galerie's stock book between 1909 – 1920 has been achieved.

A more complete understanding of how long particular artworks were held by the Munich Galerie is now evident. Some of the works were later transferred to the 'Lagerbuch 1' prior to the opening of the Luzern Galerie in 1919.

It is now possible to verify a large number of stock numbers against the Munich Galerie's labels present on the back of many artworks that date from this period.

We were able to verify sales and attempted sales to collectors who are currently missing from the early provenance histories of many significant artworks.

The verification of collectors by name and location over time is now clearer.

The use of 'agents' that worked for Heinrich Thannhauser to increase his accessibility to collectors has become apparent.

How the Munich Galerie's business behaviour changes over this period is significant. It is very clear how the sourcing and sales of artworks adapted to the challenges caused by World War I.

We welcome the contact from Artist Estates, Catalogue Raisonne producers, Collection Curators, Art Lawyers and Collectors who require clarification on the early trade of artworks as well as artworks traded post-1920 that passed through the Thannhauser Galeries.