Galerie Thannhauser Archive

Welcome to the most extensive resource for the study and comprehension of the records of Moderne Galerie Thannhauser (Munich, Berlin, Luzern, Paris & New York).

Heinrich Thannhauser (b. 1859 - d. 1934) opened Moderne Galerie Thannhauser in Munich in 1909. As well as bringing French impressionist and modern art to his wealthy clients, he also was one of the most important early promoters of Expressionist Art in Germany. Heinrich's son Justin Thannhauser (b. 1892 – d. 1976) was also a key member of the Galerie, opening branches of the Moderne Galerie Thannhauser in Luzern (1919) and then in Berlin (1927), the Munich Galerie closed in 1928.

In 1937, with the Nazi's in power in Germany, the Berlin Gallery business was confiscated. However, Justin Thannhauser had emigrated to Paris, where he ran a gallery from there until 1941 until the German occupation forced him to escape to New York, where he established another gallery.

The majority of the Galerie Thannhauser Administrative Archives are held in ZADIK in Koln. However, the period between 1909 – 1920 is not accurately archived and represents a critical period of time when Galerie Thannhauser was moving significant European Impressionist & Modern Art into Germany, Austria-Hungry until Nov 1918, Austria from November 1918, Switzerland and up into Scandinavia. It is also hard to understand the stock numbering systems Thannhauser uses over the period 1909 – mid-1920's. For example; the first Stock book or 'Lagerbuch 1' shows many artworks from the period before 1920 being entered as originating from Galerie Thannhauser in Munich, the details of when the artworks originally came into Galerie Thannhauser in Munich are completely absent.

We also brought together many of the Thannhauser's earliest exhibition catalogues from various libraries, some of these catalogues, despite their early printing date are illustrated so we were able to directly compare the early stock book from Galerie Munich to Galerie Munich Catalogues to identify precisely the artworks Thannhauser held.

Right  (or above): Van Gogh, Monet & Picasso artworks within Galerie Thannhauser stock before 1919.

Archive documents exchanged between key institutions for art loans from Galerie Thannhauser were also added to our database.

We wanted to straighten out the art historical record, protect and inform our clients seeking early provenance clarification on artworks. Therefore; we pulled together as many records into one location and studied every part, to see exactly what records exist and which do not. With the data we recovered from the original material we were able to re-calibrate the Munich Galley's 1st stock book, and understand Thannhauser's network of dealers, agents and collectors. The exercise recovered the deeper provenance on many significant artworks not recorded in catalogue Raisonnes.

We recorded the data in chronological order to identify the missing fragments of time. We recorded where each bit of information recorded came from in the original source documentation and code linked each bit of archival material used into the database. Sometimes we needed to take data from 3 or 4 archival sources to build a complete 'stock book entry'.

The aim of the work was to build the most comprehensive resource for the study of Thannhauser's stock and how the stock appeared in administration records and communications over time.

We built this resource so researchers, curators, art collectors & art lawyers can obtain an impartial, clear, concise and timely answer to difficult questions about the provenance of artworks Thannhauser traded.  

Database / Stock Book Format

Our Database / Stock Book is formatted to match 'Lagerbuch 1' and also includes the source material used to find the information and our notes:

Chronological no. Stock no. Artist Title Purchased from & Date Dates on cards Sold to & date Price Client Material no. Original material source code Notes
# 4072 Gauguin Nature Morte Galerie Vollard 09 Feb 1914 Mr Smith 4,000 M # # literature, exhibitions

Artists Researched

Galerie Thannhauser's artists that were of major focus are:

  • Max Beckmann 1884 - 1950
  • Pierre Bonnard 1867 - 1947
  • Georges Braque 1882 - 1963
  • Mary Cassatt 1844 - 1926
  • Paul Cézanne 1839 - 1906
  • Henri-Edmond Cross 1856 - 1910
  • Marc Chagall 1887 - 1985
  • Giorgio de Chirico 1888 - 1978
  • Salvador Dalí 1904 - 1989
  • Honoré Daumier 1808 - 1879
  • Edgar Degas 1834 - 1917
  • André Derain 1880 - 1954
  • Otto Dix 1891 - 1969
  • Kees van Dongen 1877 - 1968
  • Raoul Dufy 1877 - 1953
  • Othon Friesz 1879 - 1949
  • Paul Gauguin 1848 - 1903
  • Vincent van Gogh 1853 - 1890
  • Juan Gris 1887 - 1927
  • George Grosz 1893 - 1959
  • Erich Heckel 1883 - 1970
  • Ferdinand Hodler 1853 - 1918
  • Alexej von Jawlensky 1864 - 1941
  • Ernst Ludwig Kirchner 1880-1938
  • Paul Klee 1879 - 1940
  • Gustav Klimt 1862 - 1918
  • Oskar Kokoschka 1886 - 1980
  • Marie Laurencin 1883 - 1956
  • Fernand Léger 1881 - 1955
  • Max Liebermann 1847 - 1935
  • Édouard Manet 1832 - 1883
  • Henri Manguin 1874 - 1949
  • Albert Marquet 1875 - 1947
  • Henri Matisse 1869 - 1954
  • Amedeo Modigliani 1884 - 1920
  • Claude Monet 1840 - 1926
  • Berthe Morisot 1841 - 1895
  • Conrad Felix Müller 1897 - 1977
  • Otto Mueller 1874 - 1930
  • Emil Nolde 1867 - 1956
  • Francis Picabia 1879 - 1953
  • Pablo Picasso 1881 - 1973
  • Camille Pissarro 1830 - 1903
  • Jean Puy 1876 - 1960
  • Odilon Redon 1840 - 1916
  • Pierre Auguste Renoir 1841 - 1919
  • Auguste Rodin 1840 - 1917
  • Georges Rouault 1871 - 1958
  • Henri Rousseau 1844 - 1910
  • Egon Schiele 1890 - 1918
  • Karl Schmidt-Rottluff 1884 - 1976
  • Georges Seurat 1859 - 1891
  • Paul Signac 1863 - 1935
  • Alfred Sisley 1839 - 1899
  • Chaïm Soutine 1893 - 1943
  • André Dunoyer de Segonzac 1884 - 1974
  • Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec 1864 - 1901
  • Maurice Utrillo 1883 - 1955
  • Maurice de Vlaminck 1876 - 1958
  • Suzanne Valadon 1865 - 1938
  • Félix Vallotton 1865 - 1925
  • Édouard Vuillard 1868 - 1940

Paul Gauguin, Vincent Van Gogh and Pablo Picasso artworks exhibited by Galerie Thannhauser 1916 - 1918

Key Outcomes

1.Critical Context

The broadest understanding of the contents of the Munich Galerie's stock book between 1909 – 1920 has been achieved. Contextual Assessments of how the gallery used different labels and numbering systems 1909-1960's has been achieved.

2.Held Stock

A more complete understanding of how long particular artworks were held by the Munich Galerie is now evident. Some of the works were later transferred to the 'Lagerbuch 1' prior to the opening of the Luzern Galerie in 1919.

3. Verification

It is now possible to verify a large number of stock numbers against the Munich Galerie's labels present on the back of many artworks that date from this period.

4. Collectors Revealed

We were able to verify sales and attempted sales to collectors who are currently missing from the early provenance histories of many significant artworks. The verification of collectors by name and location over time is now clearer.

5.Thannhauser's Agents'

The use of 'agents' that worked for Heinrich Thannhauser to increase his accessibility to collectors has become apparent. How the Munich Galerie's business behaviour changes over this period is significant. It is very clear how the sourcing and sales of artworks adapted to the challenges caused by World War I.

We welcome the contact from Artist Estates, Catalogue Raisonne producers, Collections Curators and Collectors and Art Lawyers who require clarification on the early trade of artworks as well as artworks traded post-1920 that passed through the Thannhauser Galeries (Munich, Berlin, Luzern, Paris and New York).

Artwork Data can be submitted directly to the Galerie Thannhauser Archive Project for testing using the form below. 

Submit Galerie Thannhauser Data to the Project

© 2010 - 2025 All Rights Reserved - Walmsley Fine Art Advisory

TERMS & CONDITIONS OF USE including our PRIVACY POLICY

TERMS OF USE

Last revised 16th December 2024

AGREEMENT TO OUR LEGAL TERMS

We are Walmsley Fine Art Advisory ('WFAA’, 'we', 'us', or 'our'), a Firm registered in Switzerland at Walmsley Fine Art Advisory, Bahnhofstrasse 1, Goldau, Schwyz 6410.

We operate the website www.fineartadvisory.ch (the 'Site"), and its associated internet pages, websites, subdomains, mobile versions, any associated applications and services (collectively, the “Site”) as operated by or at the direction of Walmsley Fine Art Advisory. as well as any other related products and services that refer or link to these legal terms (the 'Legal Terms') (collectively, the 'Services'). You can contact us by phone at +41 (0)775 133 538, e-mail , or by mail to Walmsley Fine Art Advisory, Bahnhofstrasse 1, Goldau, Schwyz 6410, Switzerland.

These Legal Terms constitute a legally binding agreement made between you, whether personally or on behalf of any principal(s) for whose benefit or on whose direction it is seeking information (collectively, the “User”) and the WFAA, with respect to User’s access to and/or use of any of WFAA's website content whether such contents is accessed through the Site’s main webpage or otherwise, including through any direct hyperlink.

Together, Users and the WFAA are each referred to herein individually as a “User” or collectively as the “Users.” and concern your access to and use of the Services. You agree that by accessing the Services, you have read, understood, and agreed to be bound by all of these Legal Terms

IF YOU DO NOT AGREE WITH ALL OF THESE LEGAL TERMS, THEN YOU ARE EXPRESSLY PROHIBITED FROM USING THE SERVICES AND YOU MUST DISCONTINUE USE IMMEDIATELY.

Supplemental terms and conditions or documents that may be posted on the Services from time to time are hereby expressly incorporated herein by reference. We reserve the right, in our sole discretion, to make changes or modifications to these Legal Terms from time to time. We will alert you about any changes by updating the 'Last updated' date of these Legal Terms. and you waive any right to receive specific notice of each such change. It is your responsibility to periodically review these Legal Terms to stay informed of updates. You will be subject to, and will be deemed to have been made aware of and to have accepted the changes in any revised Legal Terms by your continued use of the Services after the date such revised Legal Terms are posted.

The Services are intended for users who are at least 18 years old. Persons under the age of 18 are not permitted to use or register for the Services.

We recommend that you print a copy of these Legal Terms for your records.

TERMS OF USE CONTENTS