Meanwhile, back at Charlie's house, Charlie and Alan Eppes ( Judd Hirsch), Charlie and Don's father, argue about the distribution of chores. 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. Charlie Eppes ( David Krumholtz) says that he could help find the painting. Shoemaker had loaned it to the museum to reduce insurance costs. 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.

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.

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. FBI Special Agents Don Eppes ( Rob Morrow) and David Sinclair ( Alimi Ballard) learn that the painting was to go on tour within the month. Someone shoots an art museum security guard and steals a Camille Pissarro painting worth $20 million. They felt moved by the episode's plot and by Rowland's performance. Critics gave the episode positive reviews. 'Provenance' first aired in the United States on October 6, 2006. Within the series, the episode also depicts the Eppes family as Jewish.

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.

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. ' Provenance' is the third episode of the third season of the American television show Numbers. 3rd episode of the third season of Numbers ' Provenance'

Numb3rs season 1 episode 3 summary