Provenance (Numb3rs)
Encyclopedia
"Provenance" is the third episode of the third season of the American television show Numb3rs
. Inspired by real-life instances, the episode features a Federal Bureau of Investigation
(FBI) investigation into a stolen painting which may have a tainted provenance. Gena Rowlands
, who works as an advocate for Holocaust survivors, portrayed a Holocaust survivor who claimed that the painting was originally her family's painting. Within the series, the episode also depicts the Eppes family as Jewish.
"Provenance" first aired in the United States on October 6, 2006. Critics gave the episode positive reviews. They felt moved by the episode's plot and by Rowland's performance.
painting worth $20 million. FBI Special Agents Don Eppes
(Rob Morrow
) and David Sinclair
(Alimi Ballard
) learn that the painting was to go on tour within the month. FBI Special Agent Jack Tollner (Garret Dillahunt) from the FBI's Art Theft division informs the team that the painting was possibly stolen by the Nazis during World War II
, creating a tainted provenance. The investigation into the painting reveals that Erika Hellman (Gena Rowlands
), a 78-year-old Holocaust survivor, made a claim in court years before that the painting belonged to her. The team learns that the court ruled that the painting belonged to current owner Peyton Shoemaker (Zach Grenier), whose father bought it in an art store in Germany after World War II. Shoemaker had loaned it to the museum to reduce insurance costs. Dr. Charlie Eppes
(David Krumholtz
) says that he could help find the painting. Interviews with Mrs. Hellman and her grandson, Joel Hellman (Matt Ross), reveal that both Hellmans want the painting back and that Joel had contacted an art thief but never followed through with stealing the painting. Meanwhile, back at Charlie's house, Charlie and Alan Eppes
(Judd Hirsch
), Charlie and Don's father, argue about the distribution of chores. Alan wants Charlie to do more around the house, and Charlie later claims that he is too busy with FBI work.
Charlie and his friends and fellow colleagues Dr. Larry Fleinhardt
(Peter MacNicol
), and Dr. Amita Ramanujan
(Navi Rawat
) trace the countries in which the painting could be, but their analysis shows that it must still be in the United States. During this time, Larry reveals that his father was an artist who wanted Larry to follow in his footsteps and that Larry attempted to apply to art school before going into physics. Meanwhile, Megan interviews the museum's curator, Arthur Ruiz (Benito Martinez), and the art preservationist about the painting and asks for a museum catalog which shows the painting. Charlie uses the photo from the catalog to determine that the painting is a forgery. The team quickly eliminates three potential forgery suspects: one is in jail, and two are dead as one was murdered during the current investigation. The team learns that the real painting, forged in the 1940s by a forger who died in 1946, has been in a Hungarian vault for 60 years.
Megan and David go to the museum and arrest Ruiz for insurance fraud. He and the art preservationist knew that the painting was a forgery and reported it stolen for insurance purposes. Don returns the real painting to the Hellmans and explains that Mrs. Hellman's father, possibly foreseeing its theft by the Nazis, commissioned the forgery. At the house, Alan and Charlie show that they have a better understanding of each other's concerns about Charlie's ability to balance home life and work, which was the cause of their earlier argument. Don, whose curiosity about his family's lack of adherence to religious practices has been aroused by Mrs. Hellman's story, asks Alan if he minded Don attempting to learn whether the family of the cousin of Don's paternal grandmother, who left Germany before World War II, survived the Holocaust. Alan volunteers to assist.
and Cheryl Heuton
, when writing the show, wanted the Eppes family to be Jewish. Meanwhile, series regular Rob Morrow
wanted to explore the impact of Judaism on the Eppes family and/or Don. Heuton and Falacci felt that the story for "Provenance" would be the ideal story to demonstrate that aspect of the family.
According to creator Cheryl Heuton, Provenance also marked the beginning of the exploration of some of Don's personal issues.
NUMB3RS
Numb3rs is an American television drama which premiered on CBS on January 23, 2005, and concluded on March 12, 2010. The series was created by Nicolas Falacci and Cheryl Heuton, and follows FBI Special Agent Don Eppes and his mathematical genius brother, Charlie Eppes , who helps Don solve crimes...
. Inspired by real-life instances, the episode features a Federal Bureau of Investigation
Federal Bureau of Investigation
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is an agency of the United States Department of Justice that serves as both a federal criminal investigative body and an internal intelligence agency . The FBI has investigative jurisdiction over violations of more than 200 categories of federal crime...
(FBI) investigation into a stolen painting which may have a tainted provenance. Gena Rowlands
Gena Rowlands
Gena Rowlands is an American actress of film, stage and television. The four-time Emmy and two-time Golden Globe winner is best known for her collaborations with her actor-director husband John Cassavetes in ten films, in two of which, Gloria and A Woman Under the Influence, she gave Academy...
, who works as an advocate for Holocaust survivors, portrayed a Holocaust survivor who claimed that the painting was originally her family's painting. Within the series, the episode also depicts the Eppes family as Jewish.
"Provenance" first aired in the United States on October 6, 2006. Critics gave the episode positive reviews. They felt moved by the episode's plot and by Rowland's performance.
Plot summary
Someone shoots an art museum security guard and steals a Camille PissarroCamille Pissarro
Camille Pissarro was a French Impressionist and Neo-Impressionist painter born on the island of St Thomas . His importance resides in his contributions to both Impressionism and Post-Impressionism, as he was the only artist to exhibit in both forms...
painting worth $20 million. FBI Special Agents Don Eppes
Don Eppes
Don Eppes is the main fictional character in the television show Numb3rs. He is played by Rob Morrow.Don is an FBI Special Agent who runs the FBI Violent Crimes Squad in Los Angeles. Don recruits his mathematical genius brother, Charlie Eppes, to help him and the Bureau solve some of their most...
(Rob Morrow
Rob Morrow
Robert Alan "Rob" Morrow is an American actor. He is known for his portrayal of Don Eppes on Numb3rs and as Dr. Joel Fleischman on Northern Exposure, a role which garnered him three Golden Globes and two Emmy Award nominations for "Best Actor in a Dramatic Series."-Personal life:Morrow was born in...
) and David Sinclair
David Sinclair (Numb3rs)
David Sinclair is a fictitious FBI agent in the TV show Numb3rs. First introduced in the Pilot episode, he has become the usual partner of FBI Special Agent Colby Granger and has also become the primary relief supervisor for the Supervisor of the FBI Violent Crimes division, Don Eppes...
(Alimi Ballard
Alimi Ballard
Alimi Ballard is an American actor. He is perhaps best known for his role as FBI agent David Sinclair on the CBS drama television series Numb3rs....
) learn that the painting was to go on tour within the month. FBI Special Agent Jack Tollner (Garret Dillahunt) from the FBI's Art Theft division informs the team that the painting was possibly stolen by the Nazis during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, creating a tainted provenance. The investigation into the painting reveals that Erika Hellman (Gena Rowlands
Gena Rowlands
Gena Rowlands is an American actress of film, stage and television. The four-time Emmy and two-time Golden Globe winner is best known for her collaborations with her actor-director husband John Cassavetes in ten films, in two of which, Gloria and A Woman Under the Influence, she gave Academy...
), a 78-year-old Holocaust survivor, made a claim in court years before that the painting belonged to her. The team learns that the court ruled that the painting belonged to current owner Peyton Shoemaker (Zach Grenier), whose father bought it in an art store in Germany after World War II. Shoemaker had loaned it to the museum to reduce insurance costs. Dr. Charlie Eppes
Charlie Eppes
Charles Edward "Charlie" Eppes, PhD is a fictional character and protagonist in the CBS crime drama Numb3rs.Dr...
(David Krumholtz
David Krumholtz
David Krumholtz is an American actor best known for playing Professor Charlie Eppes in the television series Numb3rs. He appeared as Seth Goldstein in Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle and its two sequels, Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay and A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas...
) says that he could help find the painting. Interviews with Mrs. Hellman and her grandson, Joel Hellman (Matt Ross), reveal that both Hellmans want the painting back and that Joel had contacted an art thief but never followed through with stealing the painting. Meanwhile, back at Charlie's house, Charlie and Alan Eppes
Alan Eppes
Alan Eppes is a fictional character on the television show Numb3rs, played by Judd Hirsch. Alan is the father of the main characters, brothers Charlie and Don Eppes...
(Judd Hirsch
Judd Hirsch
Judd Hirsch is an American actor most known for playing Alex Rieger on the television comedy series Taxi, John Lacey on the NBC series Dear John, and Alan Eppes on the CBS series Numb3rs.-Early life and education:...
), Charlie and Don's father, argue about the distribution of chores. Alan wants Charlie to do more around the house, and Charlie later claims that he is too busy with FBI work.
Charlie and his friends and fellow colleagues Dr. Larry Fleinhardt
Larry Fleinhardt
Larry Fleinhardt PhD is a fictional character in the television show Numb3rs, played by Peter MacNicol.Dr. Lawrence Fleinhardt is a professor of physics at CalSci and best friend and colleague of Charlie Eppes...
(Peter MacNicol
Peter MacNicol
Peter MacNicol is an American actor. He may be best known in films for his roles of Janosz Poha in Ghostbusters II, Stingo in Sophie's Choice, Thomas Renfield in Dracula: Dead and Loving It and David Langley in Bean...
), and Dr. Amita Ramanujan
Amita Ramanujan
Amita Ramanujan is a fictional character from the TV series Numb3rs. Over the course of the series, she has become a professor at CalSci and has since become romantically involved with her former thesis advisor, Dr. Charlie Eppes . First introduced in "Pilot", the character of Amita has received...
(Navi Rawat
Navi Rawat
Navi Rawat is an American television actress, known for her roles as Theresa Diaz on the drama series The O.C. and math prodigy Amita Ramanujan on the drama series Numb3rs. She is the niece of Prem Rawat....
) trace the countries in which the painting could be, but their analysis shows that it must still be in the United States. During this time, Larry reveals that his father was an artist who wanted Larry to follow in his footsteps and that Larry attempted to apply to art school before going into physics. Meanwhile, Megan interviews the museum's curator, Arthur Ruiz (Benito Martinez), and the art preservationist about the painting and asks for a museum catalog which shows the painting. Charlie uses the photo from the catalog to determine that the painting is a forgery. The team quickly eliminates three potential forgery suspects: one is in jail, and two are dead as one was murdered during the current investigation. The team learns that the real painting, forged in the 1940s by a forger who died in 1946, has been in a Hungarian vault for 60 years.
Megan and David go to the museum and arrest Ruiz for insurance fraud. He and the art preservationist knew that the painting was a forgery and reported it stolen for insurance purposes. Don returns the real painting to the Hellmans and explains that Mrs. Hellman's father, possibly foreseeing its theft by the Nazis, commissioned the forgery. At the house, Alan and Charlie show that they have a better understanding of each other's concerns about Charlie's ability to balance home life and work, which was the cause of their earlier argument. Don, whose curiosity about his family's lack of adherence to religious practices has been aroused by Mrs. Hellman's story, asks Alan if he minded Don attempting to learn whether the family of the cousin of Don's paternal grandmother, who left Germany before World War II, survived the Holocaust. Alan volunteers to assist.
Origin of the episode
The case is inspired by the real-life instances in which Holocaust survivors attempt to prove that various pieces of artwork have been taken by the Nazis during World War II.Writing
Series creators Nicolas FalacciNicolas Falacci
Nicolas Falacci is a television writer and producer. Along with his wife and writing partner Cheryl Heuton, he co-created the television series Numb3rs. His only directing credit is the season 6 finale of the program. Falacci also wrote the story and screenplay for the 1991 horror film Children of...
and Cheryl Heuton
Cheryl Heuton
Cheryl Heuton is an American television writer and producer. Along with her husband and writing partner Nicolas Falacci, she co-created the television series Numb3rs.-External links:...
, when writing the show, wanted the Eppes family to be Jewish. Meanwhile, series regular Rob Morrow
Rob Morrow
Robert Alan "Rob" Morrow is an American actor. He is known for his portrayal of Don Eppes on Numb3rs and as Dr. Joel Fleischman on Northern Exposure, a role which garnered him three Golden Globes and two Emmy Award nominations for "Best Actor in a Dramatic Series."-Personal life:Morrow was born in...
wanted to explore the impact of Judaism on the Eppes family and/or Don. Heuton and Falacci felt that the story for "Provenance" would be the ideal story to demonstrate that aspect of the family.
According to creator Cheryl Heuton, Provenance also marked the beginning of the exploration of some of Don's personal issues.
Casting notes
Gena Rowland played the Holocaust survivor. Rowlands, an advocate for Holocaust survivors, was moved by both the plot of the episode and by the family dynamic.Reception
Over 11.07 million people watched "Provenance". Critically, the show was very well-received. Cynthia Boris of DVD Verdict said that "there's a human side to the episode that brought me to tears". An Amazon.com editor, Donald Liebenson called "Provenance" "compelling" and stated that Rowland's performance was "heartbreaking".External links
- Numb3rs: Provenance at TV.comTV.comTV.com is a website owned by CBS Interactive. The site covers television and focuses on English-language shows made or broadcast in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland and Japan...
- Numb3rs: Provenance (2006) at Internet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie Database is an online database of information related to movies, television shows, actors, production crew personnel, video games and fictional characters featured in visual entertainment media. It is one of the most popular online entertainment destinations, with over 100 million...