Status
Prepared but not sent. On August 10, 2026, MoMA's Archives contact form stated
that reference questions are paused for annual collections maintenance until
September 8, 2026. Sending this request requires the project owner's approval
and contact details.
Request text
Subject: Paul Rosenberg Archives research request — Braque “Fruits and Guitar,”
1938
Dear MoMA Archives team,
I am researching whether a Georges Braque painting listed in the December 1947
Répertoire des biens spoliés as entry *5036 (OBIP claim 37.954), described as
Des fruits et une guitare, 81 × 100 cm, corresponds to either of two known
1938 Braque paintings with those dimensions.
Could you advise whether reference scans or an appointment can be provided for
the following Paul Rosenberg Archives materials?
- III.A.2.2.42 — Braque, Georges: “Fruits and Guitar,” 1938.
- III.D.1.c — Paris Files: Bonnard–Courbet, specifically the Braque cards.
- III.D.1.h — P.R. 1st License: A–Z, specifically the Braque cards.
- V.A.2 — Lists and Photos of Missing Rosenberg Pictures, 1940–1947.
- V.A.12 — Lists of Missing Pictures; Investigation Files, 1945–1947
[–1960].
- II.QQ.1 — M & P correspondence and detailed painting lists, 1946–1949.
- II.QQ.8 — M & P sales/private collection records, 1946–1950.
The object-level fields needed are titles or aliases, dimensions, Rosenberg
stock/photo numbers, acquisition and sale dates, purchaser, missing-property
list status, recovery or cancellation annotations, and any link to OBIP 37.954
or RBS *5036. Low-resolution reference images sufficient to compare the object
photographs would be useful; no publication permission is requested at this
stage.
For context, the adjacent 1961 catalogue references appear to describe two
different Braques of exactly 81 × 100 cm: the National Gallery of Art's *Fruit,
Glass, and Mandolin* (catalogue page 33) and the Lasker/Art Institute/Christie's
Nature morte à la guitare (rideaux rouge) (page 34). We are trying to avoid
conflating these objects.
Thank you for any guidance on access, reproduction fees, citation requirements,
or narrower folders that should be consulted.
Sincerely,
[project owner name and contact details]
Evidence references
- MoMA finding aid: <https://www.moma.org/research/archives/finding-aids/PaulRosenbergb.html>
- MoMA Archives contact: <https://www.moma.org/research/archives/archives-contact>
- Official RBS access: <https://www.culture.gouv.fr/rechercher-une-publication-du-ministere-de-la-culture/bases-de-donnees/mnr-historique-de-la-publication/acces-au-repertoire>
- NGA object: <https://www.nga.gov/artworks/92992-fruit-glass-and-mandolin>
- Christie's lot: <https://www.christies.com/en/lot/lot-5407003>