tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33405114790320355002024-03-14T06:49:55.289-07:00Loot!Nora Matternhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07265406687542653202noreply@blogger.comBlogger38125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3340511479032035500.post-27173984538737044852010-08-18T15:44:00.000-07:002010-08-25T07:29:03.292-07:00Colorado Man Pleads Guilty in Four Corners CaseIn March, Loot! reported on the suicide of Ted Gardiner, a 52 year-old former grocery store CEO and artifacts dealer who was one of 26 individuals from three states charged with illegal trading of antiquities.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/home/50127018-76/artifacts-colorado-court-guilty.html.csp"><span style="font-style: italic;">The Salt Lake City Tribune</span></a> reports that 0ne individual charged in the case pleaded guilty on Tuesday to two misdemeanors. Robert B. Knowlton admitted to illegally selling a Native American pipe. The buyer was an undercover operative for the Bureau of Land Management. Court reports indicate that the pipe was excavated from Bureau land.<br /><br />The misdemeanors each carry with them a year of prison and and a $10,000 fine. Sentencing will be on November 19.Nora Matternhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07265406687542653202noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3340511479032035500.post-10622446964874886272010-08-14T18:03:00.000-07:002010-08-14T18:16:31.707-07:00Raid Leads to Discovery of Ancient Underground TombA raid of the home of individuals suspected of illegally digging for antiquities in Turkey led to the discovery of two tunnels from the house to an ancient tomb.<br /><br />The <a href="http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gW3NXMpqaEDIu9Hu5YaCREYuwxeAD9HIK7V00">AP</a> reports that Turkey's Culture Minister described the discovery in western Turkey as an "important archaeological find" and called for legal archaeological digs in the area. 5 individuals were arrested in connection to this discovery and the ministry suspects they looted and sold antiquities from the tomb on the black market.Nora Matternhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07265406687542653202noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3340511479032035500.post-53252778556212781912010-08-02T16:27:00.000-07:002010-08-02T16:51:30.333-07:00Appeal Rejected in Case of Tibetan Environmentalist<a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/08/02/AR2010080201654.html">The Washington Post</a> reports today that a Chinese court has rejected an appeal from Tibetan environmentalist and philanthropist Karma Samdrup, who was sentenced on June 24 to 15 years in prison for robbing and dealing with looted antiquities. The charges against Samdrup date back to 1998, when he is said to have aquired looted artifacts, but were not pursued until this year. <br /><br />Samdrup's attorney maintains that his client acquired the objects in good faith. The environmentalist's supporters have argued that the charges were brought against Samdrup after he pubically expressed support for his two brothers, who were detained after they accused Tibetan officials of poaching endangered species in Tibet. The supporters see the charges as punishment for Samdrup's decision to speak against Tibetan authoriies.Nora Matternhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07265406687542653202noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3340511479032035500.post-87404543905907783392010-07-27T18:15:00.000-07:002010-07-27T19:45:34.904-07:00Hungary Sued!<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/28/arts/design/28lawsuit.html?ref=arts"><span style="font-style: italic;">The New York Times</span></a>' Carol Vogel reports today that a lawsuit has been filed by the heirs of Hungarian banker and art collector Baron Mor Lipot Herzog, calling for the return of a collection of artwork valued at more than $100 million. The lawsuit is against the Hungarian government, along with several museums administered by the government. <br /><br />The lawsuit follows two decades of failed attempts by the heirs to convince the government to repatriate the collection, which includes works by Velázquez, Monet, El Greco, and Zurbarán. The Herzog collection was dispersed during World War II; some pieces were left in museums for protection, while others were stolen by the Nazis and later recovered and returned to Hungary. In 2008, a Hungarian court decided that the government did not need to return the artwork to the Herzog family.<br /><br />The lawsuit calls for the return of 40 known works in Hungarian museums and asks for an inventory by the Hungarian government of all artwork from the Herzog collection in its possession.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">The New York Times</span> quotes the Herzog family's attorney described Hungary as “one of the countries that has been the most recalcitrant” when it comes to returning looted and stolen artwork. The family has engaged in legal claims with Poland, Russia, and Germany over the return of artwork. In the case of Russia, there is a 1999 lawsuit that is still pending.<br /><br />According to Vogel, experts describe the Herzog case as "the world’s largest unresolved Holocaust art claim." <a href="http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/m/claude_monet/index.html?inline=nyt-per" title="More articles about Claude Monet." class="meta-per"></a>Nora Matternhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07265406687542653202noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3340511479032035500.post-49366532068844147922010-06-03T18:52:00.000-07:002010-06-03T19:06:50.975-07:00Christie's Called on to Return Three Objects<a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704025304575284700314002546.html?mod=googlenews_wsj"><span style="font-style: italic;">The Wall Street Journal</span></a> reports today that Italy and archaeologists are calling on Christie's International to return three objects that are slated to be sold at a June 10 auction. The antiquities are believed to have been illegally excavated in Italy.<br /><br />The disputed objects include a Roman marble torso from 2<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">nd</span> century CE, an <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Apulian</span> cup from the 4<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">th</span> century <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">BCE</span>, and a Greek figure of a goddess from the 3rd century <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">BCE</span>. Those advocating the objects' return to Italy argue that the artifacts have murky provenances and appear in thousands of <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Polaroids</span> from Giacomo Medici's collection of stolen antiquities. They have cited the 1970 UNESCO Convention when calling for repatriation.<br /><br />The Wall Street Journal reports that Christie's plans to continue with the June 10 auction. A New York City spokesperson stated,<br /><br /><blockquote><span style="font-size:85%;">With respect to these particular lots, Christie's has not been notified of a title claim by any government authority, nor are these lots identified as problematic by the Art Loss Register or Interpol," she said. "As an added measure, Christie's has undertaken its own research into this matter and has found no evidence to support the need to withdraw these lots. Unless and until Christie's receives a title claim, we plan to proceed with the sale of these lots.</span></blockquote>It will be interesting to see if the sale is halted before June 10. Stay tuned!<br /><br /><br /><blockquote><span style="font-size:85%;"></span><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div></blockquote>Nora Matternhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07265406687542653202noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3340511479032035500.post-57638534337370579462010-06-02T18:31:00.000-07:002010-06-02T18:44:07.158-07:00The Diamond DuelUK's <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/india/7798130/India-demands-return-of-Koh-i-Noor-diamond.html"><span style="font-style: italic;">Telegraph</span></a> reports that India is calling for the return of the Koh i Noor diamond, a jewel that has been in British possession since 1849 when the East India Company defeated the Maharaja of Punjab. The jewel was turned over as tribute to Queen Victoria following the Indian defeat. <br /><br />India argues that the jewel was illegally obtained by the British and was worn by Mughal emperors and Maharajas for centuries before the British seizure. The British government has rejected the call for relinquisment, arguing that the diamond was "legitimately acquired."<br /><br />In light of this, we may expect more Indian efforts that seek the return of artifacts obtained by Britain during colonial rule.Nora Matternhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07265406687542653202noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3340511479032035500.post-38928176443974952592010-06-02T18:20:00.000-07:002010-06-02T18:26:32.323-07:00Update: Paris Museum TheftThe ever informative <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/01/arts/design/01arts-paris.html?ref=design"><span style="font-style: italic;">New York Times</span></a> reports that Paris's Museum of Modern Art will reopen on June 10, in the aftermath of the theft on May 19-20. According to the NYT, "the thief was able to take advantage of a flaw in the museum’s alarm system, which had been malfunctioning for several weeks, leading to speculation that the thief may have had inside assistance."<br /><br />Please see Loot!'s May 23 post about the Paris theft.Nora Matternhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07265406687542653202noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3340511479032035500.post-79469557550111721592010-06-02T16:08:00.000-07:002010-06-02T18:20:51.203-07:00Italy vs. Princeton<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/03/arts/design/03curator.html?ref=arts">The New York Times </a>reports today that Italy is carrying out an investigation into J. Michael Padget, Princeton University Museum of Art antiquities curator. Padget is being investigated for "illegal export and laundering” of Italian archaeological objects. Also included in the investigation are Edoardo Almagià, former New York antiquities dealer, and two co-defendants that the NYT has not named at this time.<br /><br />A 14-page legal document from Rome identifies nearly two dozen archeological objects that the Italians argue were looted from Italy. The document reports that the pieces were transferred from Almagià to Padget and the Princeton Museum. Padget has responded to the charges, stating that he is innocent of any wrongdoing. Almagià, a Princeton alum, has called the case "absolutely ridiculous."<br /><br />The news has come as a surprise to some in light of recent agreements between a number of US museums and the Italian governments, which were aimed at resolving antiquities disputes. In October 2007, Princeton agreed to turn over eight antiquities in exchange for loans of significant cultural importance. This agreement also allowed for "Princeton students will be granted unprecedented access to excavation sites managed by the Italian ministry for the purposes of archaeological study and research," according to the 2007 Princeton <a href="http://www.princeton.edu/main/news/archive/S19/37/62Q26/index.xml">news story</a>.<br /><br />Hugh Eakin of the NYT explains that the Princeton-Italy agreement was signed during the trial of former Getty curator Marion True, who was charged in an Italian court of having ties to two antiquities dealers who trafficked in illicit antiquities. Eakin writes<span style="font-size:100%;">,</span><span style="font-size:100%;"> Though the agreements by Princeton and other museums did not explicitly rule out future Italian investigations of museum dealings, they were widely seen as ending the threat of further legal action against American museum staff members."<br /><br />We will follow this case as it develops.<br /><br /></span>Nora Matternhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07265406687542653202noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3340511479032035500.post-12781282241985437342010-05-28T17:42:00.000-07:002010-05-28T17:47:50.781-07:00Debunking Art Crime Myths<span style="font-style: italic;">USA Weekend</span> debunks some perceptions of the world of art crime in an article available <a href="http://www.usaweekend.com/article/20100528/ENTERTAINMENT06/5300308/What-you-ve-heard-about-art-crime-isn-t-true">online</a>. The article is based on the reflections of FBI special agent Robert K. Wittman, founder of the FBI Art Crime Team who went undercover to retrieve priceless works oart.<br /><br />For readers who are in the Philadelphia area, Robert Wittman will be speaking at the Penn Museum on Tuesday, June 8 at 6pm.Nora Matternhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07265406687542653202noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3340511479032035500.post-54712947380885161852010-05-25T08:48:00.000-07:002010-05-25T09:03:49.716-07:00Missing Linz Album ResurfacesCheck out this <span style="font-style: italic;">New York Times </span><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2010/05/19/arts/design/19-abroad-ss.html"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">slideshow</span></a> of one of the recently rediscovered albums that illustrate Hitler's plans for the never realized <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Führermuseum</span> in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Linz</span>, Austria. The album resurfaced outside of Cleveland in the home of John <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Pistone</span>, who, as a young American solider, took the album back to the US as a <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">souvenir</span>. <span style="font-style: italic;">The Monuments Men </span>author Robert M. Edsel encouraged Pistone to return the album to Germany.Nora Matternhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07265406687542653202noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3340511479032035500.post-74793573660734816742010-05-24T16:36:00.000-07:002010-05-24T17:16:50.562-07:00Art Theft in ParisInterpol has reported an overnight burglary on May 19-20 at the Modern Art Museum in Paris. Five works by modern masters have been stolen from the Museum and a global alert has been issued. Jean-Michel Louboutin, Interpol's Executive Director of Police Services stated,<br /><span style="font-size:85%;"> <blockquote>These extraordinary paintings by these great masters are so recognizable that they will be difficult to sell in any market. Their inclusion in INTERPOL’s publicly accessible <a href="http://www.interpol.int/Public/WorkOfArt/Default.asp">works of art database</a> will allow any legitimate buyer of paintings by Picasso, Matisse, Braque, Leger and Modigliani to determine whether their purchase would be legal and for the public to remain alert as to what has been reported stolen.</blockquote></span>The stolen works include:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEkZTNuhGT2y4MJyd-EmLfsulCFvxqZv3pQ8DUOQMEhOI_hsTHroa137Dgo2eJqMHbdHBk5OTNto1h4Nw05JQkvhDPGJ7ZyNejITRd9F9Sjiobl76N_wmDFKF-aysCikJx8tTGPXwa_iA/s1600/News20100521_02_w600.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 223px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEkZTNuhGT2y4MJyd-EmLfsulCFvxqZv3pQ8DUOQMEhOI_hsTHroa137Dgo2eJqMHbdHBk5OTNto1h4Nw05JQkvhDPGJ7ZyNejITRd9F9Sjiobl76N_wmDFKF-aysCikJx8tTGPXwa_iA/s320/News20100521_02_w600.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474992553284983986" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Still Life with Candlestick </span>by Fernand Leger (1922</span></span>)<br /><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx38OHG8rCwz_2HYnJ0pdzbyjJ4fW9eGt5SeTt0-fBnVGHnl65Ux5QOflN2p34VkmSSAQpG-PzMNXOWweEifmggUCtKYDiwRulTKKtOcNPvTpy19BuFFOar-2aHSgfiaL-2jxF0VkZvyU/s1600/News20100521_03_w600.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx38OHG8rCwz_2HYnJ0pdzbyjJ4fW9eGt5SeTt0-fBnVGHnl65Ux5QOflN2p34VkmSSAQpG-PzMNXOWweEifmggUCtKYDiwRulTKKtOcNPvTpy19BuFFOar-2aHSgfiaL-2jxF0VkZvyU/s320/News20100521_03_w600.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474992551613114226" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-size:85%;"> <span style="font-style: italic;">Pastoral</span> by Henri Matisse (1906)</span></span><br /></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHJBDbkDkvK3RyKv8gKDiXSow14y4J_a4sKs2RPYfK7IgDksmz1XruOH0FiPMoDEdoxQ_E4L5XKaw_liv-QVdCJNNnDNVQfsvX8UlCD9HbzpfG3qD0Sl8rxF5aS0DOl8g_2rbSWGZEh6A/s1600/News20100521_04_w600.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 206px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHJBDbkDkvK3RyKv8gKDiXSow14y4J_a4sKs2RPYfK7IgDksmz1XruOH0FiPMoDEdoxQ_E4L5XKaw_liv-QVdCJNNnDNVQfsvX8UlCD9HbzpfG3qD0Sl8rxF5aS0DOl8g_2rbSWGZEh6A/s320/News20100521_04_w600.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474992545778513138" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Woman with Fan </span>by Amedeo Modigliani (1919)</span></span><br /></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_CcRfUXuljOVmDSQyrUZJfv1P0TCS5XR6a8TZwVtKEDsOv8bqFdFbKagDLuR9XLE6x9-7fSVzJ_sI5OembSdSUbiue8UJBXFFZ3uyhR45B5yP0usVI7Oxd0y2UdeDEhn6Rai63NYP0pE/s1600/News20100521_01_w600.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 257px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_CcRfUXuljOVmDSQyrUZJfv1P0TCS5XR6a8TZwVtKEDsOv8bqFdFbKagDLuR9XLE6x9-7fSVzJ_sI5OembSdSUbiue8UJBXFFZ3uyhR45B5yP0usVI7Oxd0y2UdeDEhn6Rai63NYP0pE/s320/News20100521_01_w600.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474992541177125202" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Olive Tree near l'Estaque </span>by Georges Braque (1906)<br /><br /><br /></span></span></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDEhJ0MtlszYUqznE2WmjdJsBCDJwZ866t00aYJ2anRmg43AtdlQqHwqFsmFvQRJr6sr2IKzikGi8qSEedtpMdZtZNB2uWcD7AScRmXq366rLxx9B3Xm0komVF5UNgzwMlBv8EYMxQxyY/s1600/News20100521_05_w600.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 270px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDEhJ0MtlszYUqznE2WmjdJsBCDJwZ866t00aYJ2anRmg43AtdlQqHwqFsmFvQRJr6sr2IKzikGi8qSEedtpMdZtZNB2uWcD7AScRmXq366rLxx9B3Xm0komVF5UNgzwMlBv8EYMxQxyY/s320/News20100521_05_w600.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474992536245064802" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Pigeon with Green Peas</span> by Pablo Picasso (1911)</span></span><br /></div>Nora Matternhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07265406687542653202noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3340511479032035500.post-48759410029037213942010-05-12T15:24:00.000-07:002010-05-12T16:34:33.627-07:00Artifacts Returned to El Salvador<a style="font-family: georgia;" href="http://content.usatoday.com/communities/sciencefair/post/2010/05/maya-loot-returned-after-customs-bust/1">USA Today</a><span style="font-family:georgia;"> reports that US officials returned dozens of Pre-Columbian and Mayan artifacts to the country of El Salvador today following a joint investigation led U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the National Civilian Police of El Salvador.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">USA Today provided a link to the ICE website where a </span><a style="font-family: georgia;" href="http://www.ice.gov/pi/nr/1005/100512washingtondc.htm">statement</a><span style="font-family:georgia;"> about the investigation is available. The investigation began three years ago, when a customs agent observed what appeared to be artifacts coming into the United States with a destination of Alabama. The investigation led to the arrest of a man and woman in El Salvador who were advertising Mayan and pre-Columbian artifacts on sites such as E-Bay and selling to customers in the United States and around the world.</span><br /><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;">ICE Deputy Assistant Secretary Alonzo Pena said today,</span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;" ><blockquote>We are celebrating today the fruitful collaboration of all our agencies in protecting the cultural heritage of the people of Latin America. More than that, we are honoring the dedication of our law enforcement officers in working together to find the culprits in this Internet scheme, stop the leeching of priceless pieces of El Salvador's history and bring those responsible to justice. This is another step in our long partnership with El Salvador.</blockquote></span><span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" >The US has a <a href="http://eca.state.gov/icpp/esfact.html">Memorandum of Understanding</a> with El Salvador concerning the import of pre-Hispanic archaeological artifacts. The Memorandum, which was first signed in March of 1995, was recently extended for another five-year period. It imposes import restrictions on artifacts leaving El Salvador without an export permit or without documentation that proves the objects first left El Salvador before the restrictions were established. </span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span>Nora Matternhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07265406687542653202noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3340511479032035500.post-56196234710603125822010-05-09T19:19:00.000-07:002010-05-09T20:20:25.517-07:00Two Sides of the Same CoinWhen it comes to the regulation of ancient coins, there is a debate that has arisen in the United States. This weekend,<a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/05/07/AR2010050705046.html"> <span style="font-style: italic;">The Washington Post</span></a> explained that for generations coin collecting took place without any regulations in place. However, in recent years, the United States began to place restrictions on the import of certain ancient coins in an effort to curb the larger problem of the illegal excavations of <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">archaeological</span> sites and the illicit trade of cultural property. Ancient Cypriot coins and ancient Chinese coins were restricted in 2007 and 2009, respectively, and coin collectors, or numismatists, have expressed concern that Roman coins will be next. Under the regulations, anyone who brings these coins into the United States must have export permits from the Cypriot or Chinese governments or documentation proving that they were excavated before the regulations were put in place or discovered outside of Cyprus and China.<br /><br />The debate has garnered attention following the seizure of 23 bronze coins at Baltimore-Washington International Marshall Airport last April. The coins have a worth of $275 and were purchased by the Missouri-based Ancient Coin Collectors Guild. In the lawsuit filed this February in Maryland federal court, the collectors of the guild argued that coins were circulated so often during the ancient world that it would be impossible to prove conclusively where they were excavated. In addition, the guild questions how far-reaching the effects of the regulations will be in light of the fact that the restrictions will apply only to American coin collectors.<br /><br />Wayne G. Sayles<span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;">, </span></span>executive director of the guild, acknowledges the importance of laws that safeguard cultural property. However, he argues that coins are in a different category than archaeological artifacts and work of art because of the comparatively lower value. In addition, Sayles explains to the paper that "collectors keep, study and protect coins that museums don't want.<span style="font-style: italic;">"<br /><br /></span>Richard M. Leventhal, an anthropology professor at the University of Pennsylvania, is of a very different opinion. He tells <span style="font-style: italic;">The Washington Post</span>, "Coins are part of the record of our past. To learn about the past and think about our identities and cultural heritage, coins have to be included. Ripping stuff out of the ground destroys our knowledge of who we are and where we came from."<br /><br />On May 5, both Sayles and Leventhal were present at a hearing before the State Department's Cultural Property Advisory Committee with regard to an agreement with Italy restricting the import of certain Roman artifacts. Archaeologists want coins added to the list, while collectors like Sayles are lobbying against this addition.<br /><br />So<span style="font-style: italic;"> </span>what side of the coin do you agree with?<span style="font-style: italic;"> </span>Should ancient Roman coins, for example, be treated the same as ancient Roman pottery or a statue and protected?<span style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span>Nora Matternhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07265406687542653202noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3340511479032035500.post-88245830197117010372010-05-09T15:24:00.000-07:002010-05-09T16:46:52.625-07:00A Writer's Take on the Parthenon MarblesOn May 9, <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/09/arts/09abroad.html?pagewanted=1&ref=arts"><span style="font-style: italic;">The New York Times</span></a> ran an article from the ever-insightful Michael <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Kimmelman</span>, the paper's chief art critic and author of the wonderful <span style="font-style: italic;">The Accidental Masterpiece</span>. In it, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Kimmelman</span> examines the one of the most famous cultural property debates, the Parthenon or <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">"Elgin"</span> Marbles. Loot! took a look at this case on February, 1.<br /><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Kimmelman</span> argues that Greece makes a good case for the return of the Marbles. When arguing for their return, the Greeks cite the recently opened Acropolis Museum, its location overlooking the ruins of the Parthenon, and the cultural significance of the Marbles. However, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Kimmelman</span> believes that the British, who house the Marbles in the British Museum, "still make the better case." The Marbles arrived in England two centuries ago when English ambassador Lord <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Elgin</span> removed them with the permission of the ruling <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Ottomon</span> power. The British maintain that the Marbles are seen by millions of visitors each year in the context of a collection of artifacts that tell the story of human civilization and culture.<br /><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Kimmelman</span> acknowledges that his opinion might not be widely popular. He writes,<br /><span style="font-size:85%;"></span><span style="font-size:85%;"></span><blockquote><span style="font-size:85%;">Siding with the imperialists drives good people bonkers, I know. It’s akin to Yankees worship, with the Greeks playing the underdog role of the old Red <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Sox</span>. That said, patrimony claims too often serve merely nationalist ends these days, no less often than they do decent ones, never mind that the archaeological and legal arguments by the Greeks, while elaborately reasoned and passionately felt, don’t finally trump the British ones.</span></blockquote><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Kimmelman</span> is of the belief that cultural property is changeable. He writes, "Art, differently presented, abridged, whatever, can speak in myriad contexts. It’s resilient and spreads knowledge and sympathy across borders. Ripped from its origins, it loses one set of meanings, to gain others." He argues state borders become less significant when reflecting on a work of art like the Marbles.<br /><br />He writes,<br /><blockquote><span style="font-size:85%;">It summons distinct feelings to those for whom it’s local, but ultimately belongs to everyone and to no one. </span><p><span style="font-size:85%;"> We’re all custodians of global culture for posterity. </span></p><p><span style="font-size:85%;"> Neither today’s Greeks nor Britons own the Parthenon marbles, really. </span></p></blockquote><p></p>Although I found it interesting to learn Kimmelman's opinion on the case of the Parthenon Marbles, one paragraph caught my attention in particular. He writes,<br /><p> </p><blockquote><span style="font-size:85%;">Americans, excepting Indians, may find this whole issue hard to grasp. We don’t tend to think in terms of American cultural patrimony, save perhaps for the Liberty Bell or the Brooklyn Bridge, because we’re an immigrant nation worshipful of the free market. Demanding the return of American art and artifacts to America sounds, well, un-American, not to mention bad for the bottom line. We are too diverse in our roots, too focused on the present, too historically amnesiac and individualistic (not to mention rich) to worry overly about a collective culture or who might own it. </span></blockquote>What do you think? Are we as Americans less sensitive to issues surrounding cultural property?<br /><p></p>Nora Matternhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07265406687542653202noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3340511479032035500.post-20114788520562181452010-04-29T15:22:00.000-07:002010-04-29T16:14:05.945-07:00Auction House AttentionThe <a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/archaeology/news/bonhams-withdraw-roman-sculptures-with-medici-link--from-auction-1958167.html">UK's <span style="font-style: italic;">The Independent </span></a>reports that Bonhams auction house in London removed a collection of Roman sculptures from an auction to be held yesterday. Concerns that the pieces were illegally excavated were raised by Cambridge archaeologist, Christos Tsirogiannis and Swansea University's Dr David Gill. The researchers have suggested a link between at least one of the sculptures and infamous antiquities dealer Giacomo Medici. Gill has compared a Polaroid photograph of taken by Medici of Roman sculpture once in his possession and a piece that was slated to be sold at Bonhams. A police investigation into four works and internal investigation by Bonhams are reportedly underway. Medici was convicted of dealing in illegally dealing in stolen antiquities in 2004.<br /><br />Also in the press this week is the oldest auction house in France, the Hôtel Drouot. <span style="font-style: italic;">The New York Times </span>reported on Monday about an ongoing investigation following twelve arrests made in December. <br /><blockquote><span style="font-size:85%;">A dozen people were arrested on suspicion of coordinated thefts, most of them “commissionaires,” members of Drouot’s clannish corporation of handlers and transporters; since then, four more have reportedly confessed to stealing. The police are said to have recovered more than a hundred missing objects and artworks, including several Chagall lithographs and a Courbet valued at as much as $135,000. [<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/27/world/europe/27paris.html?pagewanted=1&ref=design">NYT</a>]<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/27/world/europe/27paris.html?pagewanted=1&ref=design"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"></span></a><br /></span></blockquote>Merchants claim that auctioneers at Drout, who make a commission with a sale, engage in "ballot stuffing," a practice in which they place fake bids to push prices up. The "most persistent rumors," however, have surrounded practices of theft by auctioneers or handlers. Works that were intended to be sold at Drout have disappeared outright from various locations and trucks in before reaching the auction houses.Nora Matternhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07265406687542653202noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3340511479032035500.post-23816250612204611692010-04-26T18:49:00.001-07:002010-04-26T20:07:10.965-07:00Merkers Mine Discovery<div style="text-align: left;">In late March of 1945, General Patton's troops crossed the Rhine and advanced into the heart of Germany. On April 4, the Americans took the village of Merkers and established a command post in Kieselbach. At the order of General Patton, a curfew was put into place in the area.</div><br />On April 6 1945, two American military policemen stopped a pair of women, one of whom was pregnant, outside of the German town of Kieselbach and advised them that a curfew was in effect. The women, who were French displaced persons, were walking to town to see a midwife, but were driven back to Merkers by the MPs. During the drive, one of the Americans observed a mine that they were passing and asked the women what type of mine it was. One of the women revealed that it was a mine where the Germans had stored gold reserves and artwork weeks before.<br /><br />The women were correct. Inside the mine in Merkers, the American troops discovered gold and currency valued at $500 million (today $15 billion), which was intended to finance the ongoing war. Although the press at the time was more interested in reporting about the gold reserve, the troops discovered a staggering amount of artwork, which the Monuments Men worked toward relocating. Robert Edsel writes that in April 1945, 32 ten-ton trucks left Merkers Mine for Franfurt. Monuments Men George Stout's inventory "listed 393 paintings (uncrated), 2,091 print boxes, 1,214 cases, and 140 textiles, representing most of the Prussian state art collection" (Edsel, 299).<div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center; ">A 1945 Newsreel about the Discovery of Merkers<br /><object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/sKhRZzUynvs&hl=en_US&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/sKhRZzUynvs&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object><br /><br />The U.S. National Archives has some truly remarkable photographs of the Merkers Mine discovery in its collection:</div><div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;">Troops with Manet's <i>Wintergarden</i></div></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP1ufp4Xoh9GqWMMmik2p5vlInxfwFNbCld6G8PZFzPCOUyAcSkM71B8OjYhuEfZrOhhE3H4FB_UtBDdkK5DbFbVGkNuv12G8ruQ2mGYSrGi0ScccP4Uq0a_LxUoTvO6wLA9FKzdL6QZs/s320/111-SC-203453-5-l.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464643006663794306" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 257px; " /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Eisenhower touring Merkers</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAb7ZHP-aKNnMt8qITASiEjLVTO4vH-EHpSHSMe6jVsmHLNi4nC5Hau4KePnW0qYTMekPX6RPIGw1t0Lx4W2N_P1wAelYrEiWAjBSO8WeR4tFDG3bmw4CZvF_8cRqlN-ZUx6So5QKi7Bc/s320/monument-feb08-4.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464643719958922386" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 228px; height: 320px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Harold Maus from Scranton, PA (Yay!) examines Durer engraving</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdVUIlGRvAmn6HG4CKEnweN9J0SCAiSopXP5wLvz51-BL3CwX_VHhKTznhmcU4hmDdy8VnyAKXPhhmJPupA3ILUNpLSeJhAj-cTQoZhyphenhyphenBZPwUnIgLG8CmM5eML8OKT5cnx9i6aTTgHrCA/s320/111-SC-374661-l.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464644403538166418" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 260px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />In addition, check out Discovery Channel's <a href="http://dsc.discovery.com/videos/solving-history-with-olly-steeds-nazi-gold-hoard.html">video</a> about Merkers Mine and note the reference to the Amber Room, discussed in earlier post.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Resources</div><div>Bradshe, Greg. "Nazi Gold: The Merkers Mine Treasure."<i> Quarterly of the National Archives</i> 31:1 (Spring 1999): Prologue. </div><div>Edsel, Robert M. with Bret Witter. <i>The Monuments Men</i>. New York: Center Street, 2009. </div></div>Nora Matternhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07265406687542653202noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3340511479032035500.post-12497031666237439182010-04-12T15:31:00.000-07:002010-04-12T15:45:36.137-07:00Loot in Pop Culture: The SimpsonsIt's always interesting when issues surrounding looted or stolen objects of cultural property show up in pop culture. The always clever <span style="font-style: italic;">Simpsons</span> shared their version of where Vermeer's <span style="font-style: italic;">Concert,</span> one of the works stolen from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, ended up. Shame on you, Mr. Burns!<br /><br /><a href="http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/04/12/heist-to-see-you-stolen-vermeer-resurfaces-on-the-simpsons/?ref=design">Thanks to<span style="font-style: italic;"> The New York Times ArtsBea</span><span style="font-style: italic;">t </span>for posting this clip!</a><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh35XjnlZOLALc7Otz-LqP2nPUsyDsQWzeY26BxFtupCP3IpJolutmkk6GUkd4Q_U47EbSAbKXoBDRVsc-2kxqcUyx_w3yurcrJs8Ir8q7D72fHrS3O1UvznejvVoOFBENi87oxYyo16Uo/s1600/vermeer_concert.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 284px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh35XjnlZOLALc7Otz-LqP2nPUsyDsQWzeY26BxFtupCP3IpJolutmkk6GUkd4Q_U47EbSAbKXoBDRVsc-2kxqcUyx_w3yurcrJs8Ir8q7D72fHrS3O1UvznejvVoOFBENi87oxYyo16Uo/s320/vermeer_concert.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459385392270861826" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Concert</span> by Vermeer, stolen from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in 1990 </span><br /></div>Nora Matternhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07265406687542653202noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3340511479032035500.post-11442219690384413422010-03-20T16:29:00.000-07:002010-03-20T16:58:14.073-07:00Interview with Art Detective<a href="http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/ideas/articles/2010/03/14/who_steals_art/">The Boston Globe</a> published a very interesting interview with former Scotland Yard detective Charles Hill, who has combated art crime for decades and has retrieved "a museum's worth" of stolen art during his career. Hill discusses the motivations for art theft but stresses the difficulty to resell stolen art. The Gardner art heist occurred 20 years ago this week, but Hill is confident that the works will resurface. <br /><br />Have you ever wondered if there is a real life Thomas Crown out there? Hill says the world of art crime isn't as glamorous as the movies suggest. He says,<br /><blockquote><span style="font-size:85%;">There’s no Doctor No, there’s no Mr. Big. It’s great fun to think about a painting going to some guy’s subterranean cavern. I’ve only met one fellow who could remotely fit that bill, and he was a collector of antiquities and lives outside Switzerland.</span><br /></blockquote>I wish I had a name -- I'd love to learn more about him!Nora Matternhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07265406687542653202noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3340511479032035500.post-12796126648126323802010-03-20T16:02:00.000-07:002010-03-20T16:07:08.048-07:00Exhibit at the Crime and Punishment MuseumFrom February 12 to April 26, 2010, the Crime and Punishment Museum has an exhibit exploring art crimes on display. The Museum has partnered with Association for Research into Crimes against Art, a non-profit research group, to create this exhibit. The show explores looting, stolen art, and forgery. <br /><br />If anyone gets to the show, let us know how it is! [<a href="http://www.crimemuseum.org/Temporary_Exhibits_Spring2010">Crime and Punishment Museum</a>]Nora Matternhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07265406687542653202noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3340511479032035500.post-35171181125649833622010-03-20T15:38:00.000-07:002010-03-20T16:29:31.970-07:00De Montebello's Current PostIn 2006, I had the opportunity to attend a lecture given by then director of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Philippe de Montebello. His lecture traced the history of collecting antiquities, the development of cultural property laws, and recent disputes involving cultural heritage. It was evident that de Montebello viewed cultural heritage laws as increasingly stringent and unhealthy for the encyclopedic museum, which has a mission to collect and exhibit.<br /><br />After 31 years as the Met director, Mr. de Montebello has taken on a new role: an educator at NYU's Institute of Fine Arts. He now teaches courses on the history and culture of museums and has created one course that I think is particularly exciting. He tells the NYT this week:<br /><blockquote><span style="font-size:85%;"></span><p><span style="font-size:85%;">And this spring I’m actually teaching a colloquium, which is like a seminar with about a dozen students and another dozen auditors about issues to do with cultural property in which I figure I am an unwitting expert. And I’ve invited a number of people to teach with me so that the students get not only one point of view. </span></p><p><span style="font-size:85%;"> And I’ve told them from the start if you violently disagree with me and you do it in a very well-researched and well-written paper, you’ll get an A. I’m not here to tell my collecting views versus archaeologists’.</span></p></blockquote> De Montebello explains that he feels the press offers a strongly "anticollecting" point of view that is in favor of source countries and archaeologists and against museums. His course is aimed at offering both perspectives on collecting. [<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/18/arts/artsspecial/18PHILIPPE.html?pagewanted=1&ref=artsspecial">NYT</a>]<br /><br />I know I would have signed up for that class!Nora Matternhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07265406687542653202noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3340511479032035500.post-87614154632898896112010-03-11T08:23:00.000-08:002010-03-11T14:26:22.502-08:00Theft at T.R.'s Sagamore HillI don't think it is a stretch to say that Teddy Roosevelt was one of the coolest guys ever -- if you don't believe me, check out <a href="http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/7186">this entry</a> on Mental Floss or ask my sister <a href="http://alistofsurprises.blogspot.com/">Kate</a>. It doesn't come as a surprise that a neat guy like T.R. would have a very neat home. Last spring, I had the opportunity to visit Sagamore Hill, his residence in Oyster Bay, Long Island and now a National Historic Site. I was particularly struck by the Trophy Room, where visitors have an opportunity to view some of Roosevelt's most prized possessions, including animal trophies and skins. Some of T.R.'s trophies are also exhibited in bedrooms and parlor spaces as well.<br /><br />On March 9, the AP reported that an object was stolen from Sagamore Hill on February 22: a 15-inch walrus tusk that is one of a pair displayed on the fireplace mantel in a second-floor bedroom. The National Park Service and police are investigating and the item has been place on the FBI's stolen art list.<br /><br />I love the headline that has accompanied this story: "<a href="http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/sns-ap-us-teddys-tusk,0,3777415.story">Thief Sneaks Softly, Carries a Big Walrus Tusk out of Teddy Roosevelt's New York Home</a>."<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:78%;"><br /></span></div>Nora Matternhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07265406687542653202noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3340511479032035500.post-68142440166651041372010-03-07T18:52:00.000-08:002010-03-11T11:06:06.152-08:00DNA to be Examined in Gardner HeistIf you have ever visited the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston, you will notice something strange. Empty frames hang on the walls, a constant reminder of what is believed to be the biggest art heist in history.<br /><br />On March 18, 1990, two men disguised as security guards entered the Gardner Museum and stole 13 works of art from the walls. The works included paintings by Manet, Rembrant, Degas, and Vermeer. As stipulated by Gardner's will, the galleries remain unchanged.<br /><br />On March 4 of this year, the FBI reported that evidence is being resubmitted to DNA testing in hopes that the now 20 year-old crime will be solved. Although the FBI has not released information about what evidence will be analyzed, experts believe that it will include the duct tape that the thieves used to bind the Gardner Museum security guards. [<a href="http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gjd24PxbJv2mF8BFnGge6If5qonQD9E7PR5O0">AP</a>]<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAEdIZsC4nIpJpVC2FL8XbbAfQgtNRLeSRp31lUoQKQz0pxIBmCGeY0Oop3QMOeXWk6YznUbV0CiOyzjTlQ431oGtqgmSKEVdEo8Ty3OcePB7DaEZ4xZ9tJNEwsuAYX6rvxYcdYARLMmU/s1600-h/6a00d8341cd7ed53ef0112796af2a928a4-800wi.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 255px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAEdIZsC4nIpJpVC2FL8XbbAfQgtNRLeSRp31lUoQKQz0pxIBmCGeY0Oop3QMOeXWk6YznUbV0CiOyzjTlQ431oGtqgmSKEVdEo8Ty3OcePB7DaEZ4xZ9tJNEwsuAYX6rvxYcdYARLMmU/s320/6a00d8341cd7ed53ef0112796af2a928a4-800wi.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446094883111728002" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">An empty frame at the Gardner<br /></span></div>Nora Matternhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07265406687542653202noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3340511479032035500.post-62127960863625507982010-03-04T17:53:00.000-08:002010-03-04T18:06:53.367-08:00Suicide in Artifacts CaseThere has been a bizarre development in an already bizarre case surrounding looted Native American artifacts. The AP reported yesterday that Ted Gardiner, a 52 year-old former grocery store CEO and artifacts dealer, has committed suicide. Gardiner was working as an informant for two years in a government investigation into illegally excavated and traded Native American artifacts. Last June, the authorities announced that 26 people from Utah, Colorado and New Mexico were charged in the case.<br /><br />Gardiner's self-inflicted death marks the third suicide associated with this case. Two defendants took their own lives following their arrests. The AP reports that Gardiner was involved in a divorce and was experiencing money and alcohol problems. In addition, he was reportedly upset by the two earlier suicides and battling with the FBI with "over his compensation and his demand for security from threats he perceived" because of his role in the sting. [<a href="http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hX0MMduCTDW-IMSwjQY9-ID-6E8wD9E7FSR00">AP</a>]Nora Matternhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07265406687542653202noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3340511479032035500.post-5248566174017706212010-03-04T17:17:00.001-08:002010-03-04T17:48:39.758-08:00Monuments Men Biographies: You Can Help!About 345 men and women from thirteen countries served in the Monuments, Fine Arts, and Archives (“MFAA”) section under the auspices of the Civil Affairs and Military Government Sections of the Allied Armies during World War II. These individuals worked tirelessly to protect and locate our cultural treasures during the war and, in the conflict's final year, returned more than 5 million cultural objects that were taken by the Nazis. Some remained in Europe for six years after the war, seeing to the restitution of cultural property.<br /><br />The Monuments Men Foundation is working toward building upon the knowledge that has been collected about the Monuments Men and Women. I was interested to come across the <a href="http://www.monumentsmenfoundation.org/monumentsmen/">Foundation's page </a>that invites the public to contribute any information about the individuals whose stories the researchers have not yet collected. I hope that we do someday have biographies for each of them and I greatly admire the Foundation's efforts.Nora Matternhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07265406687542653202noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3340511479032035500.post-68902267593967766722010-02-28T18:57:00.000-08:002010-02-28T19:09:40.363-08:00US Returns Cultural Objects to IraqOn Thursday, February 25, CNN reported that the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement returned cultural items that included gold earrings from the 8th-7th century BCE, a Roman coin from 248-250 CE, and, interestingly, an AK-47 with Saddam Hussein's image. CNN reports that the objects are the most recent of more than 1,000 items returned to Iraq [<a href="http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/meast/02/25/us.iraq.artifacts/index.html?iref=allsearch">CNN</a>].Nora Matternhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07265406687542653202noreply@blogger.com0