Should the Elgin marbles stay at the British Museum?
High profile court cases in Italy and Greece are increasing the pressure on museums around the world to repatriate works of art.
The recent return to Greece of a spectacular Macedonian gold wreath from the 4th century BC, looted more than ten years ago, has again raised questions about the return of the Elgin Marbles.
Greece has persistently requested that Britain relinquish the marbles, which were acquired by Lord Elgin between 1801 and 1810 and are currently housed in the British Museum.
But spokesperson for the British Museum, Hannah Boulton has said "The British Museum is here to present world culture, in principle the trustees are against restitution because it would detract from that mission"
The Trustees frequently lend objects from the collection to museums all round the world. In the last year alone they have lent 4,400 objects to hundreds of museums worldwide. They will consider (subject to the usual questions of condition and fitness to travel) any request for any part of the collection to be borrowed and then returned. The simple precondition is that the borrowing institution acknowledges the British Museum's ownership of the object. In the case of the Elgin Marbles, according to the British Museum ‘successive Greek government have publicly disputed the Trustees' unquestionable legal ownership of the sculptures. This has made any meaningful discussions virtually impossible.’
Do you agree? Undoubtedly, these works of art have been seen by visitors from all over the world and have inspired British artists and writers for over two centuries. But are works of art better understood and appreciated in their place of origin? National sentiment runs high in these matters.
Often the debate about restitution is caught up with wider issues of post-colonial guilt – should we be making amends for the crimes of our ancestors, providing compensation for past injustices? Many claims carry much moral weight, particularly with regard to Nazi looted works of Art.
Do you think that the restitution process has become too commercialised with collectors and competing museums deliberately seeking out stolen art? Auction houses have been accused of actively soliciting heirs of Holocaust victims to make claims and then sell the art.
Read on at http://www.artsjournal.com/culturegrrl/
Add your voice to the debate…
Topic posted: 24 April 2007.
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