Ines Rotermund-Reynard, provenance researcher at the Musée d'Orsay, discusses her role investigating the origins of artworks looted during World War II. She explains the category of "MNR" (Musées nationaux récupération) works—some 2,200 pieces recovered from Germany after the war that were never claimed by their rightful owners and remain under the care of French national museums. The museum has opened a permanent gallery titled "À qui appartiennent ces œuvres ?" (Who Do These Works Belong To?) displaying 13 such works, including a disputed fake Cézanne, to share ongoing research with the public.
This matters because provenance research has become urgent as institutions confront the legacy of Nazi-era looting. With an estimated 100,000 artworks stolen in France during the Occupation, and 15,000 still unclaimed, the Musée d'Orsay's transparency efforts set a precedent for how museums can educate visitors about unresolved restitution cases. The article also highlights the paradox that the art market thrived during the Occupation, complicating the moral and legal status of many works now in public collections.