Help me find a picture, and help me help myself.

October 3, 2006 4:56 PM

Two-part question about tracking down a piece of art...

Have you found a really good web resource for finding out where a piece of art resides? Someplace where I could go find out who has this Cornell Medici box or that de Kooning angry woman painting?

The reason I ask is that I'd like to know which museum (if any) owns Chagall's "La Mairee". I've googled, and I can't seem to turn it up. I know that means it may be in private hands, but it got me thinking about that first thing I asked. So if you could answer either, I'd appreciate it.

posted by ersatzkat to media & arts (11 comments total)

You misspelled it. Mariee.
posted by weapons-grade pandemonium at 5:24 PM on October 3, 2006

Still hard to find. Wikipedia lists museums, but not for that painting. You could be an art thief, right?
posted by weapons-grade pandemonium at 5:40 PM on October 3, 2006

I couldn't find it either.
posted by R. Mutt at 5:53 PM on October 3, 2006

Marié means married in French. The added e makes it feminine, hence The Bride.
Nobody lists the collection. I don't think you'll find this one.
It was featured in the film Notting Hill, but they wouldn't have used the origiinal.
posted by weapons-grade pandemonium at 6:04 PM on October 3, 2006

This is kind of a stretch, but the wiki for Chagall says the painting was used in the film Notting Hill. Maybe at the end of the credits they thank the museum/owner?
posted by Flamingo at 6:06 PM on October 3, 2006

ack doubled, sorry.
posted by Flamingo at 6:06 PM on October 3, 2006

Bluebell art selling reproductions ($396) says: private collection.
posted by MonkeySaltedNuts at 6:22 PM on October 3, 2006

EW says

"the one used in the film is a fake; some experts say the real canvas could be worth between $500,000 and $1 million -- proved nearly as difficult as deciphering Picasso. First 'we had to get permission from the painting's owners,' says Michell. 'It was in a private collection in Japan.'

posted by MonkeySaltedNuts at 6:29 PM on October 3, 2006

It's worth waaaaaay more than that. Chagall is very collectible, and this is one of his best. I'd give you a million and sell it for fifty. Prices are ten times what they were in 1989.
posted by weapons-grade pandemonium at 6:41 PM on October 3, 2006

Thanks for the digging, all! MonkeySaltedNuts wins the "deep dive" award for the EW reference. I was unfamiliar with the movie use you and flamingo and weapons-grade mentioned, as Hugh Grant gives me the wiggins. I guess I'll just hope this "private collection in Japan" is kind enough to loan out for a retrospective some day.

I'd still appreciate if anyone has a better web resource for this kind of search, beyond "google 'til your eyes cross". Thanks again.
posted by ersatzkat at 7:30 PM on October 3, 2006

2 art libraries, Art Resource and Bridgeman Art Library are usually helpful in this situation. I couldn't find the Chagall, though.
posted by penchant at 9:56 AM on October 4, 2006