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 may refer to aboriginal objects and human remains. An example is the Haisla Totem Pole of Kitimat, British Columbia, Canada. Prepared for chief hövding G'psgoalux in 1872, it was donated to a Swedish museum in 1929. According to the donor, he had purchased the pole from the haisla people while he lied on the Canadian West coast serving as Swedish consul. After being approached by the haisla people, the Swedish governmnet decided in 1994 to return the pole, as the exact circumstances around the acquisition were unclear. The pole was returned to Kitimat in 2006, after a building had been constructed in order to preserve the pole.

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 thought to have been looted in the early 1970s.

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Art repatriation

Looted art

Cultural repatriation