Restitution
British Museum's hopes of a 'loan arrangement' for the return of the Parthenon Marbles imperilled ahead of Greek elections
The Greek prime minister has pledged to repatriate the 2,500-year-old sculptures if re-elected
Germany kicks off major Benin bronze restitution with return of 20 artefacts to Nigeria
The agreement—signed by the two countries in July—involves the return of 1,100 objects in total
Did the Metropolitan Museum cover up its acquisition of a Nazi-looted Van Gogh? A new lawsuit alleges so
The heirs of a Jewish collector who fled Germany in the 1930s claim that well-documented provenance issues with the painting “La cueillette des olives” have been overlooked by the museum and the Greek foundation that now owns it
Cologne museum to transfer 92-strong Benin bronze collection back to Nigeria
The Rautenstrauch-Joest-Museum is the latest Western institution to return its collection of artefacts looted from Nigeria in the late-19th century
Pope Francis returns Vatican Museums’ Parthenon marbles to Greece
The pope’s decision to give the Vatican’s three Parthenon marbles to the head of the Greek Orthodox Church comes amid mounting pressure on the British Museum to repatriate its marbles to Greece
The Year in Art: We take a look at 2022’s biggest stories—and what they mean
Plus, our writers sit down to discuss their favourite works of the year
US campaign group sues Smithsonian over return of Benin Bronzes to Nigeria
Restitution Study Group have lost their first legal battle but insist the case is still pending
New York court dismisses restitution case brought against the Israel Museum
A Holocaust restitution case over the Bird’s Head Haggadah, the oldest manuscript of its kind, has been dismissed by the New York Supreme Court on behalf of the Israel Museum
'Don't expect us to be passive' in the face of restitution: British Museum chair defies return of looted artefacts
In speech at the annual trustees dinner George Osborne said that "dismantling" the collection "must not become the careless act of a single generation”
How an old postcard helped Jewish heirs retrieve their Kandinsky painting from a Dutch museum
The work, which has been in Eindhoven's Van Abbemuseum since the early 1950s, originally belonged to a collector who died in the Holocaust
Benin bronzes online database goes live with details of thousands of looted artefacts
"Digital Benin" catalogue gathers together information on objects stolen from the Kingdom of Benin and now held in collections around the world
Qatari sheikh’s rare ivory mask, stolen from Benin City by the British, is one of five on public display—none in Nigeria
The 16th-century mask was withdrawn from sale at Sotheby’s over a decade ago amid escalating calls for restitution
UK heritage minister says government has no plans to amend law that prevents museums from 'disposing' of objects
The 1983 National Heritage Act was debated in the House of Lords—but the issue of reform will be further discussed ahead of its 40-year anniversary in May 2023
Trove of Benin bronzes in US museum collections repatriated to Nigeria
The National Gallery of Art, the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of African Art and the Rhode Island School of Design Museum marked the return of the sculptures with a ceremony in Washington, DC
Provenance database shines light on looted art in Bavarian collections
Munich-based foundation follows other German institutions in quest for transparency, disclosing ownership of 1,200 works acquired since 1933 with over 500 pieces flagged as "former Nazi property"
UK Prime Minister Liz Truss rules out deal with Greece over Parthenon Marbles
Move rebuffs George Osborne, the chair of the British Museum, who proposed a new collaborative arrangement
King Charles III faces pressure to return sacred tabot—which symbolically represents the Ark of the Covenant—to Ethiopia
Westminster Abbey, which is directly under the monarch’s jurisdiction, currently refuses to return the holy tablet
Russia to take over Ukrainian museum collections as formal annexation plans announced
Putin's decree to permanently occupy four regions of Ukraine means thousands of artefacts will become property of Russia
Spain's Prado museum releases list of works with murky civil war and Francoist provenance
Up to 62 works in the collection, including paintings by Joaquín Sorolla and François Boucher copies, could be returned to their original owners under the current investigation
Poland demands Russia return seven paintings it claims were looted during Second World War
Putin’s international cultural envoy, Mikhail Shvydkoy, says Poland’s request has no legal grounds
Berlin's controversial Humboldt Forum is finally complete—but 'the work inside begins now', German Culture Minister says
Twenty years since its conception and at a cost of around €680m, the new German museum must now follow through on its restitution promises
A 2,000-year-old Israeli coin minted during the ‘great Jewish revolt’ repatriated by US authorities
The coin, a Quarter Shekel valued at $1m, was looted in from Israel in 2002 and had been headed for auction before being recovered by US Homeland Security agents in 2017
V&A likely to return looted Asante gold treasures to Ghana
Museum’s director Tristram Hunt wants to loosen regulations on restituting artefacts seized by British forces in the 19th century
Top tips for the culture secretary, as the UK is about to get a new prime minister (and yes, you will have to return the Parthenon Marbles)
Here are three big challenges they will face—and what to do about them
Greek artefacts from American billionaire's collection will be returned pending exchange agreement
The artefacts could be exhibited at the Metropolitan Museum of Art before traveling to Athens
‘Return Rosetta Stone to Egypt’ demands country’s leading archaeologist Zahi Hawass
The former Egyptian antiquities minister leans into the current restitution conversation, calling again for the return of three prized antiquities from European museums
Nazi-looted art on display in New York museums must be prominently identified as such under new law
The new state regulation, signed into law by Governor Hochul, requires museums to install placards or other signage alongside works on view that were looted by the Nazis during the Second World War
The Getty Museum will return a set of illegally excavated life-size statues to Italy
The group of figures, known as “Orpheus and the Sirens”, is one of four artefacts the museum is repatriating to Italy based on new evidence
Horniman Museum in London hands over Benin bronzes to Nigeria
Major restitution development coincides with publication of new Arts Council England guidelines
Copies of the Parthenon Marbles—carved by a robot—to go on show in London
Project by Oxford’s Institute for Digital Archaeology fuels debate about restitution of controversial sculptures