The Dean of Westminster Abbey in London has decided “in principle” to return a sacred Ethiopian tablet, which was looted over 150 years ago at the height of the British empire.
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Tag: looted art
Australian National Gallery returns stolen bronzes to Cambodia
The National Gallery of Australia (NGA) will repatriate three looted bronze sculptures to Cambodia, following a decade-long investigation. Cambodian ambassador Dr. Chanborey Cheunboran declared: “this is an historic occasion and an important step towards rectifying past injustices, reinforcing the value of cultural properties, and acknowledging the importance of preserving and protecting cultural heritage.”
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Japanese officials repatriate Nazi-looted Baroque painting to Poland
A priceless Baroque artwork that was stolen during World War II has finally been repatriated to Poland. The painting is among 600 Nazi-looted pieces that have successfully returned to the country.
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Looted artefacts returned to Greece after 17-year legal battle
The Greek Culture Minister, Lisa Mendoni, has announced that 351 objects are to be restituted to Greece after a drawn-out legal battle that has plagued the Greek Ministry of Culture. The artefacts, which include statues, figurines, sculptures, vases, jewellery, utensils and accessories, date from the Neolithic period to the Byzantine era, and include important objects such as a second century bronze statue of Alexander the Great.
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A report finds over 1,000 looted objects in New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art
A recent investigation has found that more than 1,000 objects in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York could have ties to alleged antique traffickers and looters. Many of the artefacts were acquired in the 1960s when museum staff often overlooked evidence of smuggling in an effort to source more major acquisitions than London and Paris.
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Cambridge University returns looted Benin Bronze cockerel
Jesus College in the University of Cambridge has returned a looted Benin bronze to Nigeria, becoming the first UK institution to do so. The unprecedented decision was announced in November 2019 after a student-led campaign initiated talks between the college and the Benin Dialogue Group.
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Nazi looted painting repatriated to Jewish family by FBI
Discovered at the Arkell Museum in Canajoharie, a Nazi looted painting has finally been returned to its rightful heirs after almost 90 years. This recent recovery is part of an international effort involving the FBI to restitute more than 1,000 artworks and artefacts seized in 1933 from the Mosse family, who were prominent Jewish residents of Berlin.
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German research fund to uncover stolen art in private collections
The German government has announced a €3.4 million (£2.95 million) national fund to subsidise provenance research into privately-owned artworks, which may have been looted during World War II. The decision marks a departure from previous arrangements, which were used to fund research into works held by German museums and libraries. It was prompted by the 2013 discovery of the Gurlitt art trove of which five works have been identified as looted or sold under duress. A further 153 works in the hoard are suspected of being stolen. Continue reading
What happens if you unwittingly buy a looted artefact?
Is it possible to buy a looted artefact unwittingly?
Coins, jewellery, mosaics, glassware, vases, figurines and other artefacts are reportedly being excavated and smuggled out of Iraq and Syria on an ‘industrial’ scale, to be sold online or in Western dealerships. Continue reading
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