Provenienz
provenance (documented ownership history of an artwork)
noun pro-veh-NYENTS Rare
Origin: from French provenance, origin
Usage Note
Provenienz is the documented ownership history of a work of art from its creation to the present. Provenienzforschung (provenance research) is legally required in Germany to identify Nazi-looted art.
Examples
"Die Provenienz des Gemäldes konnte bis ins 17. Jahrhundert lückenlos belegt werden."
Natural Translation
The provenance of the painting could be documented without gaps back to the 17th century.
Literal Translation
The provenance of the painting could to the 17th century gap-lessly proven be.
Free starter pack
Building your German vocabulary?
Get the 100 most common German words as a free PDF — one email, no spam.
Related Words
- Abguss cast, casting (plaster or metal replica of a sculpture)
- Abstraktion abstraction (non-representational art)
- Acrylfarbe acrylic paint
- Akanthus acanthus (decorative leaf motif)
- Akt nude
- Aktmalerei nude painting; figure painting
- Aktmodell life model; nude model (for drawing or painting)
- Aktzeichnung life drawing, figure drawing (of the nude)
Explore German by topic
