Restitution

UK permits Nazi-looted Meissen figure to leave for Japan despite spoliation claim

There appear to be no winners in what the Arts Council refers to as an “extremely unusual” case

Berlin’s Ethnological Museum returns Alaskan grave artefacts looted by explorer

The objects “do not belong in our museums”, says the president of the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation

Germany presents code of conduct on handling colonial-era artefacts

Culture Minister says colonial past has been a blind spot for too long

Damning report says France must catch up, fast, in return of Nazi-era loot

Heritage expert calls for new government taskforce to guide provenance research and even rule on restitution cases

German researchers trace Jewish newspaper mogul’s vast Nazi-looted art collection

The Mosse Art Research Project, a cooperation with the German government, identifies eight works and launches online database

Canadians withdraw from Düsseldorf show about Jewish dealer Max Stern

Max Stern Foundation seeks reimbursement of costs from the German city

Ethiopia toughens position on Maqdala treasures calling for full restitution

Ethiopian ambassador Hailemichael Afework Aberra told The Art Newspaper podcast his government wants the seized artefacts returned, not given back on long-term loan as proposed by the V&A

Podcastspodcast

Podcast episode 28: the battle over Ethiopia's treasures

Martin Bailey speaks to Hailemichael Aberra Afework, Ethiopia’s ambassador to the UK, about the artefacts seized by the British army at Maqdala, go behind the scenes of the Sony World Photography Awards with judge Gareth Harris and ask Richard Parry about his plans for Glasgow International

Bronze looted from Summer Palace sells for £410,000 despite protest from China

Chinese authorities tried to stop the UK auction of the Tiger Ying vessel, which was taken by a British soldier in 1860

London dealer ordered to return Egon Schiele works worth $5m to heirs of Holocaust victims

The heirs' attorney describes ruling as step closer to recovering "largest mass-theft in history," but Richard Nagy plans to appeal

V&A opens dialogue on looted Ethiopian treasures

Director pledges rethink on objects seized by British troops in 19th-century Africa

Two steps forward, one step back for Holocaust restitution

In a recent decision regarding Picasso’s Actor, the courts need to catch up with US government policy on Nazi-looted art

Nazi policies forced Jewish collectors like Paul Leffmann to sell their art, whatever the price

Restitution experts say New York law recognises third party duress, so why did a recent court decision on Picasso’s Actor not recognise this?

Holocaust survivor’s family seeks painting in Ukrainian museum

Meanwhile, much of the country’s art is stuck in limbo and its own efforts to recover cultural property have stalled

Lawnews

Rhode Island School of Design denies claim on Picasso by Alphonse Kann heirs

Provenance research commissioned by the university has found that-while the work was once owned by the legendary collector-it was not looted by the Nazis

The restitution revolution begins

President Macron is ushering in a new era for the return of displaced heritage

Berlin Museums chief calls for rules on restitution of colonial artefacts

Hermann Parzinger has global support for the equivalent of Washington Principles on Nazi-confiscated art for objects from former colonies

Lawnews

Picasso’s Actor will remain in the Met’s collection, New York Judge rules

The court dismissed a claim on the painting by the heir of the Jewish collector who sold it to fund an escape from the Nazis

Louvre shines a light on Nazi loot

Museum hopes to find rightful heirs through display of spoliated works

Ethicsnews

Should museums display human remains from other cultures?

Vienna’s Weltmuseum criticised for displaying a trophy head

'We need to confront uncomfortable truths about European colonial appropriation'

Nicholas Thomas, professor of historical anthropology at Cambridge University, on the French President's statements about African artefacts

What restitution experts have to say about President Macron’s pledge to return African artefacts

The French leader’s announcement in Burkina Faso is hailed as historic—but gets a mixed response

Germany names new head of Nazi-looted art panel

Hans-Jürgen Papier fills post held by Jutta Limbach until her death last year

Lawnews

Appeals court allows heir to renew claim against Nahmad family over Modigliani painting

The convoluted case involves suspected Nazi loot, the Panama Papers leak and a shadowy shell company

Lord Mayor of London returns Nazi-looted Dutch Old Master

The Oyster Meal, insured for £1.5m, has hung in Mansion House for nearly three decades

Cornelius Gurlitt’s art hoard finally gets first public showing

Organisers hope two shows will lead to restitution claims from victims of Nazi persecution

Dresden Museum of Ethnology returns ancestral remains to Native Hawaiian group

"Restitution is a way for healing and justice," says the museum’s director

Painting in Gurlitt hoard identified as Nazi loot—thanks to a tiny repair hole

Portrait by Thomas Couture belonged to a French politician who opposed the Nazis

Looted Benin bronzes to be lent back to Nigeria

Pledge by European museums to set up “permanent display” of rotating loans in Benin City could pave way for restitution