Provenance & Art Research Advisory

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Provenance & Art Research Advisory (PARA) combines expertise in looted art with decades of academic, museological, and commercial experience. We specialise in investigating the ownership histories of cultural objects, offering independent advice on provenance, restitution, and cultural property law — discreet and tailored to your needs.

what we offer

PARA specialises in provenance research and advisory services relating to the histories and ownership of cultural objects. Our work combines archival research, art-historical analysis, and legal expertise, allowing us to assess complex ownership histories in a structured and informed way. While we have a particular focus on Nazi-looted art and the period 1933-1945, we also advise on colonial-era takings and illicitly exported or unprovenanced cultural objects.

  • Mapping ownership histories and identifying associated legal and ethical issues.

  • Reviewing the ownership history of the artworks within a collection, ranging from a targeted due diligence to more in-depth analysis.

  • Reconstructing dispersed or lost collections through focused research.

  • A focused service where time is of the essence, providing an initial assessment of an artwork’s provenance ahead of a potential purchase, import or loan.

  • Providing training and lectures on looted art and provenance research for professionals, institutions, and academic audiences.

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Clarity on provenance. Insight for responsible decisions.

About us

PARA brings together a team of provenance researchers and restitution specialists with extensive art historical and legal expertise across a range of institutions in the field of looted art and cultural property. We combine an international perspective with an interdisciplinary approach, allowing us to provide careful, balanced and tailored advice to each client.

Our work is grounded in thorough research and critical review. Where appropriate, we apply an internal peer review process to ensure accuracy and consistency. Based across Europe, we work with an international network of colleagues and institutions and collaborate closely as a team to provide clear and well-founded advice.

Client confidentiality is of utmost importance to us.

We look forward to getting in contact and exploring how we can help!

PARA’s team

  • Dr Maike Brüggen is a provenance researcher specialising in ownership histories, art market research, and collection-based studies, including historical collections and wartime contexts. Since 2010 she has worked independently, advising museums and private clients. She studied in Berlin and holds a PhD from the Technical University of Berlin. She is a member of the Arbeitskreis Provenienzforschung e.V.

  • Dr Evelien Campfens is a legal expert in art and cultural heritage law. She has over twenty years’ experience across academia and the cultural sector, published widely in her field and is a member of the International Law Association’s Cultural Heritage Committee and the Ethics Committee of the Dutch Museum Association. She studied law at the University of Amsterdam and holds a PhD from Leiden University.

  • Julia is specialised in ownership histories of the Nazi era. She brings practical experience from the international art market, including roles at Sotheby’s Restitution Department and at the Art Loss Register and has also worked as a provenance researcher at the Rijksmuseum. Julia holds a Master of Laws, a Master in Art Business and a Master in History of Art. She is a member of the Arbeitskreis Provenienzforschung e.V.

  • Laura Vollmers is a provenance researcher specialising in ownership histories, archival research, and collection analysis. Besides her position at PARA she also conducts research at the Museum Pfalzgalerie Kaiserslautern. Laura previously held positions at Städel Museum in Frankfurt. Laura studied art history and history in Frankfurt, Zurich, and Hamburg, with a focus on collection histories and reception. She is a member of the Arbeitskreis Provenienzforschung e.V.

Soon we will provide you with further details about our network and associated researchers.

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