BBC News Online: UK: Scotland

Nazi loot theory to art works

The paintings include a Picasso, a Cezanne, a Whistler and a Degas.

More details about the listed artworks have been added to the National Museum Directors' Conference (NMDC) website as part of a drive to find out the origin of the works and return any art stolen from Jewish families by the Nazis.

A three-year investigation has been carried out to trace the ownership of paintings and drawings between 1933 and 1945, now belonging to Glasgow City Council.

She said: "These paintings do not have full provenance. That is, we are not sure of exactly where they were at some point during those years and we want to be absolutely sure that they did not form part of any stolen paintings from Jewish families.

"There are sometimes gaps in provenance which now we wish to be absolutely sure about. Apart from anything else it will tell us much more about the international part of our collection, and that can only be a good thing."

Galleries website

"I must point out that these paintings have been on display, or they have been part of well-catalogued exhibitions for a long time, therefore I think it is quite unlikely that someone will make a claim."

More than 170 of the works from the Kelvingrove Museum gallery and 55 from the Burrell collection will be listed on a National Galleries website to try to fill in gaps in the records.

If claims are made to any of the art works, it is possible they could be returned to their original owners or their families.

More details are available on the website www.nationalmuseums.org.uk.