During the colonial era, a variety of objects were taken to the Netherlands, often against the will of their original owners. For some years now, these collections and the possible return of colonial objects have been under scrutiny.
How do you investigate the provenance of museum collections acquired during the colonial era?
Guest speakers:
- Mirjam Shatanawi (Reinwardt Academie and KITLV)
- Caroline Fernandes Caromano (LUCAS)
- Paul Voogt (Missiemuseum Steyl) research such collections in the Netherlands.
They will discuss their experiences as provenance researchers and some common challenges they encounter in their work.
They talk about finding your way around extensive archival material spread across different institutions in the Netherlands and ways they trace ‘involuntary loss of possession’.
They will also discuss the topic of researching colonial collections from different perspectives. What does it mean for a small museum with limited means to examine its collection history?
And what is it like for someone from Brazil to research objects taken from their country and subsequently scattered across the European continent?
