The Kunsthaus Zürich took down six paintings from the Bührle Collection on Thursday that were owned by Jewish collectors.
The works include paintings by Claude Monet, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec and Vincent van Gogh.
"The E.G. Bührle Collection Foundation is endeavouring to find a fair and equitable solution for works from Nazi-persecuted owners," said the foundation. Initial contacts have been made with descendants.
The background to the action is new guidelines published by the US State Department in March on the handling of property belonging to Jews who were forced to sell it due to persecution by the Nazis during World War II.
On Wednesday, the Kunsthaus had announced it would sell of another work by Claude Monet from the museum's own collection. The Jewish owner had also been forced part with this work as a result of the persecution. The proceeds from the sale are to be divided between the Kunsthaus and the heirs of the former owner.
Since 2021, the pressure on the Kunsthaus to examine the provenance of all artworks and the circumstances of purchases has grown. The starting point was the controversial collection of the former arms manufacturer Emil Bührle, which has been on display at the Kunsthaus since 2021.
Bührle (1890-1956) had collaborated with the Nazis and bought works that had previously belonged to Jews. He paid for them, but possibly below the appropriate price.
On June 28, an independent expert, Raphael Gross, will present an assessment of the provenance research of the Bührle Collection. The aim is to establish whether the provenance of the paintings and the circumstances surrounding their purchase have been adequately documented.