Eberhard W. Kornfeld
Eberhard W. Kornfeld | |
|---|---|
| Born | 23 September 1923 Basel, Switzerland |
| Died | 13 April 2023 (aged 99) Ostermundigen, Switzerland |
| Occupation(s) | Auctioneer, art dealer, author, collector |
| Years active | 1945–2023 |
| Known for | Galerie Kornfeld; expertise on Picasso; involvement with Nazi-looted art controversies |
Eberhard W. Kornfeld (23 September 1923 – 13 April 2023) was a Swiss auctioneer, author, art dealer, and collector who operated primarily out of Bern.
Early life
Kornfeld was born in Basel on 23 September 1923. After completing a commercial apprenticeship, he joined the auction house Gutekunst & Klipstein in Bern, run by August Klipstein, in 1945.
Art career
Upon the passing of August Klipstein in 1951, Kornfeld assumed control of the business. The firm underwent several name changes, initially known as Klipstein & Kornfeld, then Kornfeld & Klipstein, before ultimately becoming Galerie Kornfeld.
Controversies
Kornfeld was involved in multiple legal controversies throughout his career. In 1993, he was sued by New York dealer David P. Tunick concerning the authenticity of a Picasso print’s signature. Recognized as a Picasso authority, Kornfeld defended the print’s authenticity and proposed an exchange, which Tunick refused.
In 2017, it came to light that Cornelius Gurlitt—son of Nazi-era art dealer Hildebrand Gurlitt—had sold artworks from his concealed Munich collection through Kornfeld’s Swiss gallery. While Kornfeld confirmed purchasing works from Gurlitt, he denied any involvement with Nazi-looted art and reportedly helped cover Gurlitt’s living and medical expenses.
Further legal proceedings involved heirs of Jewish collectors August and Serena Lederer, who secured court orders compelling Kornfeld to disclose information about a Schiele painting. In 2019, two Egon Schiele pieces sold by Kornfeld were ordered to be returned to the heirs of Holocaust victim Fritz Grünbaum due to their provenance being linked to Nazi theft.
In September 2023, the Manhattan District Attorney seized seven Schiele drawings sold by Kornfeld to Galerie St. Etienne in New York, citing insufficient provenance and connections to Nazi plunder. While several institutions voluntarily relinquished these works following evidence presentation, the Art Institute of Chicago contested returning one piece titled The Russian Prisoner, disputing allegations that provenance documents were forged. Prosecutors filed a detailed motion in February 2024 accusing the museum of deliberate ignorance and alleging that Kornfeld falsified provenance records to conceal sales involving Nazi-looted art from Fritz Grünbaum’s collection.
Philanthropy
Kornfeld contributed artworks to major cultural institutions such as the National Gallery of Art, Norton Simon Museum, Calder Foundation, Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), and Kunstmuseum Basel.
Death
He passed away in Ostermundigen on 13 April 2023 at the age of 99.
Distinctions
- 1982: Honorary doctorate awarded by the University of Bern
- 1984: Recipient of the Order of Merit from the Federal Republic of Germany
- 1991: Knighted in the French Ordre des Arts et des Lettres
- 2004: Granted honorary citizenship of Davos
- 2011: Granted honorary citizenship of Bern
Literature
- Christine Ekelhart, Klaus Albrecht Schröder: Wege der Moderne: Aus der Sammlung Eberhard W. Kornfeld. Brandstätter, Vienna/Munich 2008, .
- Eberhard W. Kornfeld: Ernst Ludwig Kirchner: Nachzeichnung seines Lebens. Katalog der Sammlung Kirchner-Haus Davos. Kornfeld Verlag, Bern 1979, .
- Eberhard W. Kornfeld: Paul Klee: Verzeichnis des graphischen Werkes. Kornfeld Verlag, Bern 2005, .