Getty Presents a Story of Rediscovery, Provenance Research, and Restitution

The Getty Research Institute (GRI) presents “Lost. Found. Returned.” on view June 23–Oct. 18, 2026, at the Getty Center in Los Angeles.

This exhibition traces the extraordinary history of a drawing once believed lost during World War II and now set to return to its rightful home in Dresden, Germany. Before its departure, the work will be exhibited publicly for the first time, offering visitors a rare opportunity to examine both the artwork and the investigative process that uncovered its history.

“Every artwork has a history, and even when that history is well-documented it is sometimes more complex than we realize,” says Andrew Perchuk, Interim Director of the Getty Research Institute. “This exhibition highlights the meticulous research and investigative work required to trace an object's journey across decades and borders, while underscoring the Getty Research Institute's commitment to advancing provenance research and supporting responsible stewardship of cultural heritage."

At the center of the exhibition is “Standing Male Nude from the Back, with a Smaller Sketch” by German Symbolist artist Otto Greiner (1869–1916). Acquired in 1894 by the Print Room of the Saxon Royal Art Collections, now the Kupferstich-Kabinett, Dresden State Art Collections (SKD), the drawing was recorded as lost in the aftermath of World War II. More than a century after entering the Dresden collection, the work resurfaced in an unexpected place, at the Getty Research Institute’s archive.

The case of the Greiner drawing demonstrates how historical, archival, material, forensic, and computational evidence can be brought together to reconstruct an object's history. Registered in Germany’s Lost Art Database, the drawing became the subject of extensive investigation that ultimately confirmed its identity and provenance. The exhibition further illustrates how museums, archives, and research institutions can work collaboratively to address the ongoing effects of Nazi-era art looting and wartime losses.

The exhibition also draws attention to the wealth of online information that contributes to this process of discovery, such as the Getty Provenance Index, one of the world's leading resources for provenance research. By showcasing the methods and tools used to identify and return the drawing, “Lost. Found. Returned.” sheds light on the growing importance of provenance studies within art history and museum practice.

According to Nancy Um, Associate Director of Research and Knowledge Creation, “Provenance research hinges on the close inspection of the artwork, in the quest for any material clues about its past, such as inscriptions, inventory numbers, or collectors’ stamps. But, today, these long-held methods must be combined with exhaustive research across many resources, including expansive online databases, which collate the vast amount of information that we have at our disposal. Yet, as this exhibition shows, even if this information is available digitally, concerted effort is still needed to bring together the full biography of each lost object.”

More than the story of a single artwork, “Lost. Found. Returned.” is a testament to the power of research, transparency, and international collaboration. As Getty prepares to return the drawing to Dresden in November, the exhibition invites visitors to consider the enduring significance of cultural stewardship and the responsibility institutions share in preserving and restoring the histories of works of art.