Provenance

"Provenance" is the third episode of the third season of the American television show Numbers. 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. Plot summary Someone shoots an art museum security guard and steals a Camille Pissarro 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 plundered 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 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.