Emil Bührle Collection

Virgin and Child Enthroned

Southern Germany (?)

late 15th century

Lime wood

89.5 cm

Vergrössern

Drucken

Provenance

1Albert Ullmann Frankfurt/Main • until [d.] 1912 AStEGB, Inventory Card The Virgin and Child and the Four Evangelists.

2Hedwig Ullmann Frankfurt/Main & Melbourne • 1912–1954 Widow of the above, AStEGB, Letter from Dr. Arthur Kauffmann, London, to Dr. Walter Drack [curator of the Bührle collection], 17 September 1952, with copies of 2 letters to Hedwig Ullmann, Frankfurt, given to Dr. Kauffmann from the estate of Mrs. Hedwig Ullmann in Australia. One letter is from Theodor Demmler at the Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, 14 May 1927, the other is from the Provinzial-Museum, Hannover, 25 February 1931; both regard sculptures from the Ullmann collection, apparently by then still kept together in Frankfurt by Ullmann’s widow. As to Kauffmann’s role in bringing sculptures from the Ullmann collection to London when he was forced into emigration and left Frankfurt, see the obituary, written by his two sons and privately printed (1983). Kauffmann’s Inventory documents continuous sales from the holdings of the Ullmann (aka Ullin) family from 1939 to 1973, which were dealt with as commissions.

3Dr. Arthur Kauffmann Frankfurt/Main & London • 1954 Kauffmann Inventory, Journal 4, no. 1353, 9/1/1954, stating a debt of £ 4.100 to «Ullin» for wood carvings, against a credit owed by Emil Bührle of £ 5.200, registered the same day; AStEGB, Entry Book II, 13 January 1954, listing a group of 8 sculptures (all from the former Ullmann collection).

4Emil Bührle Zurich • 16 February 1954 until [d.] 28 November 1956 Acquired from the above as part of a group of 8 sculptures for £ 6.000 altogether, AStEGB, Summary of account for various purchases from Dr. Arthur Kauffmann, including 8 wood sculptures, dated 16 February 1954 and initialed by Emil Bührle; the amount was to be paid via Clearing (£ 500) and via Special Swiss Account (£ 4.700), with an additional £ 800 being paid in Swiss Francs.

5Given by the heirs of Emil Bührle to the Foundation E.G. Bührle Collection Zurich • 1960 Inv. P24.

AStEGB = Archive of the Foundation E.G. Bührle Collection, Zurich

Exhibitions

2010Van Gogh, Cézanne, Monet, Die Sammlung Bührle zu Gast im Kunsthaus Zürich Kunsthaus Zurich • 2010 no. P24.

2019Verehrt, Geliebt, Vergessen, Maria zwischen den Konfessionen Stiftung Luthergedenkstätten in Sachsen-Anhalt (Augusteum) • Wittenberg • 2019 no. 26.

References

1973Leopold Reidemeister etc. Stiftung Sammlung Emil G. Bührle • Fondation Collection Emil G. Bührle • Foundation Emil G. Bührle Collection  Zurich & Munich • 1973 • no. 192 (ill.;21986).

2005Lukas Gloor, Marco Goldin (ed.) Foundation E.G. Bührle Collection, Zurich, Catalogue  vol. 1 • Conegliano & Zurich • 2005 • no. S19 (ill.; German edition: Stiftung Sammlung E.G. Bührle, Katalog • Italian edition: Fondazione Collezione E.G. Bührle, Catalogo).

2021Lukas Gloor «The Holdings of the Emil Bührle Collection: Illustrated List of All 633 Purchases» in The Emil Bührle Collection: History, Full Catalogue and 70 Masterpieces Swiss Institute for Art Research, Zurich (ed.) • Munich • 2021 • no. 598 (ill.).