Restitution

Leaderscomment

What’s in a title? It’s time to reframe the Parthenon Marbles debate

The British Museum's ownership of the statues is only guaranteed within the UK—things get more complicated on an international level

London museum returns emperor's hair—taken by a British officer as a war trophy—to Ethiopia

The two locks will be buried at the monastery where emperor Tewodros' body was interred

German cathedral returns Nazi-looted Dutch Old Master to heirs

Dutch Square is one of many paintings the Bavarian state returned to the families of the looters instead of the original Jewish owners after the war

Lawnews

US Supreme Court declines to review a challenge to the National Gallery's ownership of a Matisse

Grandchildren of muse depicted in 1908 painting exhaust their US appeals

Signac painting in Gurlitt hoard identified as Nazi loot

Restitution discussions with descendants of Jewish owner are underway

Culture ministers from 16 German states agree to repatriate artefacts looted in colonial era

Joint declaration is “a statement of historical responsibility,” says Culture Minister Monika Grütters

Dutch museums take initiative to repatriate colonial-era artefacts

Rijksmuseum opens talks with Sri Lanka, ethnology museums publish guidelines

Savoy-Sarr report fails to dent tribal market, says Tefaf exhibitor

Didier Claes, who was consulted for the restitution report commissioned by French president Emmanuel Macron, says it has invigorated the market for African art

London’s National Army Museum to return emperor's hair to Ethiopia

Hair was cut from the emperor Tewodros's body after he committed suicide following defeat at the battle of Maqdala in 1868

Nazi lootcomment

Holocaust-era art restitution: more complex than you think

A rush to judgement has resulted in notable errors, with some "Nazi-looted" art having been purchased legally

European Parliament calls for restitution overhaul

Resolution includes proposals for database of looted art, support for provenance research and exemptions from statutes of limitations

Met hands over an Egyptian coffin that it says was looted

Describing itself as a victim of fraud, museum says it cooperated with district attorney's investigation

Heirs of Baron Herzog continue battle for Nazi-looted art collection despite US Supreme Court dismissal

Decades-long case to reclaim works held in Hungary’s museums will now go through US District Court

Spanish art dealer returns carved stones from a Nabatean temple to Jordan

Helped by an Oxford academic, Diego López de Aragón raised the alarm after acquiring the pieces from the estate of a Spanish diplomat and collector

Germany allocates €1.9m for museums to research colonial-era acquisitions

An eight-member panel including Bénédicte Savoy will assess grant applications

Nigeria calls for return of Lander Stool from the British Museum

Woodcarving was taken from the African country in 1830 by the UK explorer Richard Lander

Ivan the Terrible returns to Ukraine

19th-century oil painting, stolen during the Second World War, was found in the US

Looted ‘cannibal’ bowl will not travel to Quai Branly in Paris for Oceania exhibition

Royal Academy says conservation issues—not restitution fears—mean the ceremonial feast trough can not be loaned

Eurocentrism still sets the terms of restitution of African art

A selective view of African cultural heritage continues the colonialist paradigm

French antiquities dealers slam ‘shocking’ report on restituting African art

Dealers’ association seeks meeting with culture minister over fears report will open the door to numerous restitution claims for a range of artefacts

Restitutionanalysis

The repatriation debate intensifies as calls for post-colonial restitution grow—but is it legal?

Recommendations from Savoy-Sarr report into restitution by French museums may contravene the country’s laws

Dutch policy on Nazi-loot restitutions under fire

The “smallest and most chilling distinctions are being made in order to allow museums to keep their collections intact,” experts say

Britain's pillaging of the Benin Bronzes begs for a reasonable resolution

As debate grows over Europe's 19th-century cultural plunder of Africa, the key is to ensure meaningful access

Scholars call for Berlin centre on colonial-era heritage

Appeal published in Die Zeit welcomes Macron report but says debate should not be limited to restitution

Podcastspodcast

Should looted colonial art be returned?

We weigh up the arguments for and against the restitution of African art taken during the colonial period with Vicky Ngari-Wilson, Nicholas Thomas and Ugochukwu-Smooth Nzewi. Produced in association with Bonhams, auctioneers since 1793.

Hosted by Ben Luke. Produced by Julia Michalska, David Clack and Aimee Dawson

2018 in museums: big ethics questions dominate the field

Museums are facing greater scrutiny over sponsorship and the artists they choose to display

DR Congo to request restitution of works from former coloniser Belgium

Country's president Joseph Kabila made the announcement ahead of opening of revamped Africa Museum outside Brussels

Lawnews

Italian court says Getty Museum must surrender prized bronze Statue of a Victorious Youth

The Los Angeles institution counters that it will keep on fighting to maintain the linchpin of its collection

Should we relinquish our insistence on privileging original works of art?

Technological wizardry in replication is improving, alongside claims to relocate far-flung treasures

Podcastspodcast

Exclusive interview with Edmund de Waal, plus Roma persecution

How artists fight persecution is explored with the artist and author of the Hare with Amber Eyes and Krzysztof Gil, who describes the chilling history of "Roma hunting". Produced in association with Bonhams, auctioneers since 1793.

Hosted by Ben Luke. Produced by Julia Michalska, David Clack and Aimee Dawson