German museum to probe disputed provenance of Mondrian works
BERLIN (AP) - The German city of Krefeld is opening an investigation into disputed works by Dutch artist Piet Mondrian that have been part of the city's Kaiser Wilhelm Museum collection for decades.
City spokesman Christoph Elles said Wednesday the museum rejects allegations by lawyers for Mondrian's heirs that the works' presence at the museum had been deliberately concealed. He said the museum assumes the artist himself donated eight works in 1929, though there is no clear proof for that.
A lawyer for the heirs, Gunnar Schnabel, questioned whether the artist ever donated the works to the museum and said it illegally sold four of them.
Mondrian is most famous for his abstract compositions of black lines and rectangles filled with bright colors.
The New York Times first reported about the dispute Sunday.
