In order to aid in the identification and discovery of objects that may have been subject to questionable transfer of ownership or unlawful appropriation during the World War II Era, the Smithsonian museums are working to identify all objects in their collections that were created before 1946, were acquired after 1932, that underwent a change of ownership during 1933-1945, and that were, or might have been, in continental Europe between those dates ("covered objects"). The Smithsonian Institution is committed to making information on these objects available to the public.
Provenance is the history of ownership of an artwork and provides important information about the attribution (determination of authorship) of the object.
Researching the provenance of works of art is a fundamental aspect of curatorial work.