Stemming from the French term provenir, "to come from", the provenance of a work of art is a record of its life path or travel history, from its creation until the present - that is, of the history of its origin and ownership.
Today, determining the provenance of a work of art is a main museological concern and an essential task for contemporary art historians. The research on a work's provenance can be crucial to determine its authorship or to establish its authenticity. It is also important to ascertain that all legal and ethical norms have been observed when a work of art is acquired, in order to prevent possible thefts, illicit sales or unlawful incorporations. During wars and armed conflicts or under colonial domination, many works and artefacts were looted or illegally taken from individuals, communities and local cultures, and have since been the object of restitution and repatriation processes.
Retracing the history of the ownership of works of art entails archival research involving many different sources, such as wills, inventory records, correspondence, contracts and sales receipts or catalogues from collections, exhibitions and auctions, among others.
Apart from the archival records, each work or artefact is itself an important document, which must be analysed in detail. It is worth examining, in particular, its materials and technical features, as well as distinctive elements like inscriptions, coats of arms, stamps or labels that might provide indications as to the identity of the owners or relevant market agents: galleries, auction houses, etc. This process can be difficult and yield incomplete information, as collectors and art markets are often secretive and obscure. This field of study is therefore very demanding, but a no less vital part of the art historian?s and the museologist's job.

Organizers: Maria João Neto [ARTIS - Art History Institute (FLUL)] and Marize Malta [EBA-UFRJ] 

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