The following open letter from English art historians, architectural historians, artists and archaeologists protesting against the destruction of cultural monuments in Yugoslavia, has been sent to newspapers and television stations in both and Serb and Croat regions of Yugoslavia, in both languages.
As historians of architecture and the other arts, we are profoundly distressed at the reports reaching us of the destruction in the course of the present conflict of many venerable monuments and uncounted and priceless cultural treasures in your country. We implore all concerned to save what still can be saved rather than incurring the condemnation of posterity for having obliterated our common heritage.
Dr James Allan, Keeper, Eastern Art, Ashmolean Museum, Oxford.
Professor David Bindman, Professor of History of Art, University College, London.
Professor John Carswell, Sotheby’s London, Sotheby’s New York.
Mitchell Crites, art historian and gallery director, London.
Professor Geza Fehervari, Professor Emeritus in Islamic Art and Archaeology, University of London.
Jennifer Fletcher, Courtauld Institute of Art, Slade Professor, University of Oxford 1990-1991.
Professor Sir Ernst Gombrich, Director Emeritus, Warburg Institute, University of London.
Professor Francis Haskell, Professor of the History of Art, Oxford University.
Howard Hodgkin, painter.
Anish Kapoor, sculptor.
Professor C.M.Kaufmann, Director, Courtauld Institute of Art, University of London.
Dr Neil MacGregor, Director, National Gallery , London.
Professor Cyril Mango, the Bywater and Sotheby Professor of Byzantine and Modern Greek Language and Literature, Oxford University.
Dr Marlia Mango, art historian.
Professor Nicholas Mann, Director, Warburg Institute, University of London.
Jack Ogden, art historian.
Yanni Petsopoulos, art historian, publisher.
Dr Julian Raby, Oriental Institute, Oxford, art historian, publisher.
Colin Renfrew (Lord Renfrew of Kaimsthorn), archaeologist.
The hon. Sir Steven Runciman, C.H., historian.
Jennifer M. Scarce, Curator of Eastern Cultures, National Museums of Scotland.
Diana Scarisbrick, art historian.
Anna Somers Cocks, art historian, editor of The Art Newspaper.
Dr Eleni Vassilika, Keeper of Antiquities, the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge.
Dr Marian Wenzel, art historian, painter.
Timothy Wilson, Keeper of Western Art, Ashmolean Museum, Oxford.