Art repatriation

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Art (and cultural) repatriation is the return of art or cultural objects to their country of origin (usually referring to ancient art), or (for looted art) its former owners (or their heirs).

Cultural repatriation ususlly refers to aboriginal objects and human remains. An example is the Haisla Totem Pole Repatriation Project of Kitimaat, British Columbia, Canada, which seeks to return of a totem pole, one of the community's most culturally significant treasures, which had been taken to Sweden in 1929.

The concept of art and cultural repatriation gained momentum through the latter decades of the twentieth century and began to show fruition by the end of the century when key works were ceded back to claimants. Nonetheless, the concept remains controversial as opponents argue that ownership regained by one country is heritage lost by another, especially where art objects have been held sometimes for very long periods of time. For example, the British Museum has held the Elgin Marbles since 1816 and the Museum strongly defends its right to own and display the marbles. On the other hand, the Metropolitan Museum of Art recently negotiated the repatriation of the Euphronios krater to Italy, from where it was though to have been looted in the early 1970s.