A detail from Courbet's 1864 painting "Le Grand Pont," the subject of a recent ownership controversy. An amicable settlement giving Yale ownership of the work sets "a new precedent for museums in the resolution of Nazi restitution claims," says Jock Reynolds, the Henry J. Heinz II Director of the Yale University Art Gallery.

Yale Art Gallery receives gift of major work by Courbet

The Yale University Art Gallery has received the generous gift of a major landscape work by the artist Gustave Courbet titled "Le Grand Pont" (1864). This important work by Courbet has been on loan to Yale since 1981 from the collection of Herbert and Monika Schaefer. The painting has been on public display in the galleries and has been included in major special exhibitions, including "Courbet und Deutschland" in Hamburg and Frankfurt, Germany, 1978-1979, and "Saints, Sinners and Scenery, European Genre and Landscape Paintings from the Collection of Herbert & Monika Schaefer" at the Yale University Art Gallery in 1988. The confirmed history of "Le Grand Pont" is that it belonged to the Marczell de Nemes collection until 1913, but by the 1920s was held in Breslau, first in the collection of Leo Lewin and then Max Silberberg. It remained in the Silberberg collection until 1935, from which it was sold at auction by Paul Graupe of Berlin. There is no known record of the purchaser of the work from that sale. Herbert Schaefer and Silberberg's son settled an ownership claim for the painting out of court in Germany in the 1970s. The painting had been the subject of a recent ownership claim asserted by Eric Weinmann of Washington, D.C. After the University notified Schaefer of Weinmann's claim, Schaefer agreed that the painting would remain on loan to Yale while further historical research into the painting's provenance during and after World War II was completed. The Yale Art Gallery commissioned extensive research into the painting's provenance, the results of which were inconclusive. Weinmann offered to withdraw his restitution claim with the understanding that the painting would be given to Yale so that it can remain on public display with a teaching institution. The parties also agreed that the painting would be placed on loan to Weinmann from Yale for a period of 10 years, subject to recall during that time to Yale for inclusion in public exhibitions. After the term of the loan, the painting will be permanently returned to Yale. Jock Reynolds, the Henry J. Heinz II Director of the Yale University Art Gallery, summarized the settlement as "setting a new precedent for museums in the resolution of Nazi restitution claims. "All parties are pleased that the inquiry resulted in an extensive researching of the history of the painting and that Courbet's 'Le Grand Pont' will remain a resource for the education and enjoyment of the public," he continued. "We are grateful to Dr. and Mrs. Schaefer for their generous gift to Yale and to Mr. and Mrs. Weinmann for their willingness to reach an amicable settlement." T H I SW E E K ' SS T O R I E S Yale formally dedicates Environmental Science Center Team discovers fossil of 40-foot crocodile Scientists develop otential vaccine for West Nile virus Journalist considers gap between 'red' and 'blue' America Michael Dove is appointed Musser Professor of Social Ecology Thomas Graedel named Musser Professor of Industrial Ecology Yale Art Gallery receives gift of major work by Courbet U.S. Senator James Jeffords to give talk Noted journalist James Fallows to present annual Fryer Lecture Estrogen therapy ineffective in preventing stroke, study finds Noted statistician Francis J. Anscombe dies Influential physician Dr. Alvan Feinstein dies Symposium to explore Palestinian and Israeli cinemas Yale affiliates invited to serve as Thanksgiving hosts Campus Notes Bulletin Home|Visiting on Campus|Calendar of Events|In the News|Bulletin Board Yale Scoreboard|Classified Ads|Search Archives|Deadlines Bulletin Staff|Public Affairs Home|News Releases| E-Mail Us|Yale Home Page