MUNICH.- The Staatliche Graphische Sammlung München announced that it can restitute a series of watercolor drawings, the so-called “Prince Regent Series” (Prinzregentenzyklus), as well as a watercolor titled “Landscape near Oberbozen” by Max Slevogt (1868–1932) to the heirs of the original owners with whom an amicable agreement was reached. On 24 October 2025, the Bavarian State Ministry of Science and the Arts and the Staatliche Graphische Sammlung München will return in the museum’s study hall these works to the representatives of the heirs of collector Leo Lewin, Wrocław, and the heirs of his brother, the lawyer Salo Lewin, Berlin.

Thanks to a research grant from the German Lost Art Foundation, Magdeburg (Germany), and the Bavarian State Ministry of Science and the Arts, distinguished provenance researcher at Staatliche Graphische Sammlung München Ilse von zur Mühlen was recently able to trace the provenance of the eleven watercolors of the “Prince Regent Series” and of the watercolor “Landscape near Oberbozen” by Max Slevogt.

STATEMENT OF THE HEIRS

The heirs of collectors Leo and Salo Lewin comment on this restitution: “The families of Leo and Salo Lewin appreciate the continued efforts of the Free State of Bavaria in researching the provenances of artworks in their collections. These efforts have led to the identification of twelve watercolor drawings by Max Slevogt, which were formerly documented in the collections of Leo and Salo Lewin. Both families welcome the restitution of the Slevogt watercolors.“

STATEMENT OF THE MUSEUM DIRECTOR

“We are grateful that the heirs of both families have signed an agreement to have the series as well as the single work returned to them. This means a consoling and amicable end to a great historical injustice”, states Michael Hering, director of the Staatliche Graphische Sammlung München.

THE HISTORY OF THE WATERCOLOR SERIES

In the summer of 1909 painter Max Slevogt followed an invitation of the Wittelsbach Prince Regent (Prinzregent) Luitpold (1821–1912) to Hohenschwangau palace. During this stay the artist created at least 15 watercolors and several oil paintings with motifs of the Prince Regent’s life in Hohenschwangau. However, Luitpold did not acquire the watercolor series, it remained in Slevogt’s possession. Slevogt also held on to the watercolor “Landscape near Oberbozen”, which he had painted during a trip to South Tyrol in 1914.

On 1 August 1938 the series as well as the single watercolor were sold by Galerie Ferdinand Möller on behalf of Salo Lewin to the Staatliche Graphische Sammlung München. Documents testify that the “Prince Regent Series” had been in Leo Lewin’s possession until an unknown date after 9 May 1931.

Leo and Salo Lewin were the sons of Wrocław textile manufacturer and art collector Carl Lewin (1855–1924). Leo Lewin (1881–1965) continued his father’s firm and was a member of several Wrocław art associations. As early as during World War I, he started his own art collection. On 17 May 1917 he acquired from Max Slevogt the “Prince Regent” watercolor series to furnish the villa he had bought on the occasion of his marriage to Helene Koslowsky (1896–1976). This purchase is mentioned in Slevogt’s book of sales as well as in some letters. The collector showed parts of the series in various exhibitions and lent them to Berlin publisher Bruno Cassirer in 1918 to be reproduced in a deluxe book edition with color plates. On 9 May 1931 he attempted, without success, to sell the watercolors to Berlin’s National Gallery. This is the last documented date for the works being in Leo Lewin’s possession before Salo Lewin sold them in 1938.

Due, on the one hand, to the world economic crisis and early Nazi agitation, on the other hand, the Lewins’s company, since 1921 a Wrocław textile stock corporation, went bankrupt and Leo Lewin was held liable with his personal property. Starting in 1927 several auctions with sales from his collection are documented. After the Nazi‘s rise to power on 30 January 1933, private and economic life changed for Leo Lewin as it did for all Jewish citizens. In addition, since January 1934, at the latest, Leo Lewin’s life was dominated by house searches through GESTAPO and imprisonments. In early 1939 he managed to escape to exile in Great Britain where his wife Helene followed him in May 1939.

Leo’s older brother, the lawyer Salo Lewin (1880–1975), also shared his father’s taste for art. In their textile stock corporation he was a member of the board of directors and was thus entrusted with the welfare of the firm until 1934. Salo Lewin was banned from his profession in July 1933, his wife Susanna, nee Gottstein (1899–1972), who had studied chemistry, physics, and art history and worked as a technical assistant at the Wrocław pathological institute, also lost her position. The couple relocated to Berlin in August 1934 where from at least 4 July 1935 onwards they began selling their furniture and art. On 28 March 1938, Salo Lewin commissioned Ferdinand Möller gallery with finding a buyer for the twelve Slevogt watercolors. Staatliche Graphische Sammlung München acquired the artworks in the same year. This sale occurred concurrently to Salo Lewin’s imprisonment at Sachsenhausen concentration camp. In March 1939, he was able to escape via Cuba to the United States. His wife Susanna followed him via Great Britain in June 1939.

THE SERIES IN HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE AND ACQUISITION BY THE WITTELSBACHER AUSGLEICHSFONDS

In 1909 Bavarian Prince Regent Luitpold invited artist Max Slevogt to Hohenschwangau palace to capture the life of the Prince first in sketches and later in oil paintings. This gesture of patronage was an expression of the friendly connection that existed between the ruler and the artist. Slevogt’s series was well received in Wrocław and Berlin where the artist had been residing since 1901. His watercolors were shown in several exhibitions and there were favorable reports in the newspapers on the artist and the Prince Regent.

Because of the series’ special relation to the Wittelsbach family and Bavaria, it is good news, therefore, that the heirs of the Lewin brothers have come to an agreement with the Wittelsbacher Ausgleichsfonds, the Wittelsbach foundation, to keep the series intact by way of acquiring it as a whole. The “Prince Regent Series” will remain in Bavaria.