Clues of provenance : tracing colonialism and imperialism through museum objects

How to research the history, origin and meaning of museum objects that were acquired in colonial times and contexts? In March 2022, the Netherlands-based NIOD Institute for War, Holocaust and Genocide Studies (NIOD/ECR), facilitated by the National Museum of World Cultures (NMVW) and the Rijksmuseum Amsterdam, published 50 detailed provenance reports about the history of 65 museum objects that were acquired in colonical Indonesia and Sri Lanka. In the Focus edition, we invited a few researchers, some of whom were affiliated with the project, to share their fascinating provenance reports and provide insights into the theoretical backgrounds and considerations in this burgeoning field.