Provenance research is the detailed, interdisciplinary work that traces the ownership history, or biography, of an artwork from the time of its creation to the present day. An essential part of the art-historical and object-focused research pursued in museums, provenance discoveries may inform on the function, condition, or value of an artwork. Provenance research can also illustrate broader historical narratives concerning the art market, collecting, and taste as well as how individuals, communities, institutions, and nations have interpreted, valued, and cared for objects over time.
It is rare to have complete provenance for an object, especially for one that is centuries old. Gaps in information may result from lost or destroyed documentation or from the transfer of an object without a written record, such as through gift, exchange, or oral agreements. Historically, the art market has operated opaquely, with auction houses and dealers guarding details of their clients. This can present challenges in identifying even recent buyers or sellers of objects. In exceptional circumstances, research into an artwork’s ownership history can reveal changes in ownership caused by theft, plunder, or unlawful appropriation.