Whereabouts of two faience vases in the Berlin Museum of Decorative Arts secured
Press release from 10/27/2010
Two important faience vases from the Kunstgewerbemuseum of the Staatliche Museen zu Berlin were recently identified as former Jewish property. The Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation has reached an agreement with the heirs that the vases can remain in the Museum of Decorative Arts, where they have been on permanent display for years (Room IV, display case IV/61), following payment of compensation.
The pair of vases comes from the estate of Olga von Wassermann, who was persecuted by the Nazi regime because of her Jewish faith. Under this impression, Mrs von Wassermann and her children decided to leave Germany. In preparation for her emigration, Olga von Wassermann sold a substantial part of her household effects and art possessions. In December 1937, the pair of lidded vases was also auctioned off at the Lange auction house and went to the Kunstgewerbemuseum, then the Schlossmuseum.
Hermann Parzinger, President of the SPK, emphasises: "As the von Wassermann family would not have left Germany without the reprisals and would not have had to sell their property, the SPK considers the vases to have been seized as a result of persecution and has endeavoured to find a fair and just solution with the heirs in accordance with the Washington Principles."
Henning Kahmann from the law firm von Trott zu Solz, which is representing the heirs, explained: "We also consider the solution found to be fair and would like to thank the Foundation for its fair approach."
The pair of lidded vases (inv. no. 1937, 44 a/b) originate from the Berlin manufactory Cornelius Funcke and were probably made between 1701 and 1713. 39 cm high, the eight-sided faience vases have a narrow shape with a flat lid. Music-making angels and putti with sheet music in cobalt, manganese violet and yellow are depicted on an intense turquoise-green background. The turquoise green background, typical of Funcke, in combination with the vase shape indicates an early date of origin. The scenes depicted refer to the Prussian dynasty: they are a homage to the coronation of Frederick I, as they show the elevation of the electoral dignity (below: angel with electoral hat and sceptre) to the royal dignity (above: angel with royal crown and palm fronds).