But the ‘stolen’ Elgin Marbles were actually a gift, according to a descendant of the man who brought them to UK shores. Lord Charles Bruce said the friezes, now on display in the British Museum, were handed by a Turkish sultan to his forebear Thomas Bruce, the seventh Earl of Elgin.
What happened to the Elgin Marbles?
A sculpture from the Elgin Marbles has been allowed to leave the UK for the first time since Lord Elgin turned up in Greece in early 1800 and had them stripped from the Parthenon and shipped to Britain.
Do the Elgin Marbles belong to the Greeks?
Furthermore, the Greeks liken the removal of the marbles to the Nazi plundering of art during World War II (Kimmelman 2). Due to their initiative of preservation and the heritage of the objects, I believe the Elgin Marbles ethically and legally belong in the possession of the Greeks.
Why did the British sell the marbles?
In Britain, the acquisition of the collection was supported by some, while some others, such as Lord Byron, likened the Earl's actions to vandalism or looting. Following a public debate in Parliament and its subsequent exoneration of Elgin, he sold the Marbles to the British government in 1816.
What happened to the marbles in 1816?
Following a public debate in Parliament and its subsequent exoneration of Elgin, he sold the Marbles to the British government in 1816. They were then passed into the trusteeship of the British Museum, where they are now on display in the purpose-built Duveen Gallery.
Did Elgin legally take the marbles?
(Parliament went on to vote, 82 to 30, to buy them and give them over to the British Museum.) The Parliament report presents this document as an accurate English translation of a July 1801 Ottoman document that, according to Elgin, authorized the removal of the marbles.
Who gave Lord Elgin permission to take the marbles?
the OttomansAs complicated and wide-ranging as this debate may be, it is widely assumed that the Ottomans gave Elgin permission to remove the marbles." This assumption has helped Britain over the last two centuries gain a toehold on the moral and legal high ground in the exchanges with Greece over whether the sculptures should be ...
Why did Elgin take the marbles?
On his return to England, Elgin told a Parliamentary inquest that a desire to protect what was left of the treasure was part of his motivation in taking them. The Turks, he claimed, had been even grinding down the statues to make mortar.
Did Elgin cheat at marbles?
According to Rudenstine, British Parliament committed fraud in 1816 by purposely altering a key document during the translation process, making it appear as though Elgin had received prior authorization from Ottoman officials to remove the Parthenon marbles when he had not.
Why won't the British return the Elgin marbles?
The British government's official position is that it is not responsible for the marbles' fate: That, it says, is a matter for the British Museum's trustees, a group largely appointed by the prime minister that has repeatedly said the sculptures are integral to the museum's mission of telling world history.
Why we should not return the Elgin marbles?
Greece, foundation of Western civilization, member of the European Union, is one of us, not one of them.” In other words, returning the Elgin Marbles today would only reinforce the colonial principle that museums are places where “Western” powers display the cultural treasures of the “global south.” And that principle ...
Did Elgin save the Marbles?
Whatever Elgin's motives, there is no doubt at all that he saved his sculpture from worse damage. However, in prising out some of the pieces that still remained in place, his agents inevitably inflicted further damage on the fragile ruin.
Why does Greece want the Elgin marbles back?
Perhaps the most impassioned argument for the return of the Parthenon sculptures is that the pieces represent a vital and central part of Greek cultural heritage. That they are the most prominent and symbolic link that modern Athens and modern Athenians have with the greatness of their ancient ancestors.
Why should Britain keep the Elgin marbles?
Housed in the British Museum, the marbles serve a far larger audience in London than they would if they were sent back to Athens. Based on their immeasurable contributions to humanity's historical and artistic legacy, they are considered by many to be best seen within the context of a world collection.
Did the British Museum damage the Elgin marbles?
The British Museum has admitted that the controversial Elgin Marbles were damaged by "heavy handed" cleaning 60 years ago. And it has said an attempt to cover up the damage to the marbles in the 1930s was "a scandal". The admissions came on Tuesday during a two-day symposium in London to examine the ancient sculptures.
Did Lord Elgin buy the Parthenon Marbles?
Known as the Parthenon Sculptures, they are also called the Elgin Marbles, after the Scottish nobleman Lord Elgin, who stripped them from the ancient Acropolis in Athens in 1801 and sold them to the British government in 1816.
Who currently owns the Elgin marbles?
The marbles passed into the trusteeship of the British Museum by an act of parliament. Today, the museum houses approximately half of the surviving marbles, including 15 metopes, 17 pedimental figures and 75 metres of the original frieze.
Who took the Elgin Marbles from Greece?
The objects were removed from the Parthenon at Athens and from other ancient buildings and shipped to England by arrangement of Thomas Bruce, 7th Lord Elgin, who was British ambassador to the Ottoman Empire (1799–1803).
Where did the Elgin Marbles come from?
The Elgin Marbles are sculptures from the Parthenon... ... a marble frieze temple (aka a Doric temple) on the Athenian Acropolis, Greece, built in 447–432 BC and dedicated to the goddess Athena. The temple was "the centrepiece of an ambitious building programme on the Acropolis of Athens," the British Museum explains.
Why does Greece want the Elgin marbles back?
Perhaps the most impassioned argument for the return of the Parthenon sculptures is that the pieces represent a vital and central part of Greek cultural heritage. That they are the most prominent and symbolic link that modern Athens and modern Athenians have with the greatness of their ancient ancestors.
Who owns the Parthenon Marbles?
For nearly two centuries the sculptures have been housed in the British Museum as the centerpiece of its Greek galleries. The museum maintains that their acquisition was a legal act of preservation.
What are the Elgin marbles?
The Elgin Marbles ( / ˈɛlɡɪn / ), also known as the Parthenon Marbles ( Greek: Γλυπτά του Παρθενώνα ), are a collection of Classical Greek marble sculptures made under the supervision of the architect and sculptor Phidias and his assistants. They were originally part of the temple ...
Who viewed the marbles?
William Wordsworth also viewed the marbles and commented favourably on their aesthetics in a letter to Haydon. Following the exhibition of the marbles in the British Museum, they were later displayed in the specially constructed Elgin Saloon (1832) until the Duveen Gallery was completed in 1939.
What marbles did Clarke remove from Greece?
Clarke also removed other marbles from Greece such as a statue of Pan, a figure of Eros, a comic mask, various reliefs and funerary steles, amongst others. Clarke donated these to the University of Cambridge and subsequently in 1803 the statue of Demeter was displayed at the university library.
When did the Parthenon Marbles come back?
Outside Greece a campaign for the Return of the Marbles began in 1981 with the formation of the International Organising Committee - Australia - for the Restitution of the Parthenon Marbles, and in 1983 with the formation of the British Committee for the Reunification of the Parthenon Marbles. International organisations such as UNESCO and the International Association for the Reunification of the Parthenon Sculptures, as well as campaign groups such as, Marbles Reunited, and stars of Hollywood, such as George Clooney and Matt Damon, as well as Human Rights activists, lawyers, and the people of the arts, voiced their strong support for the return of the Parthenon Marbles to Greece.
Where are the Marbles now?
They were then passed into the trusteeship of the British Museum, where they are now on display in the purpose-built Duveen Gallery.
When did the British Museum clean marbles?
British Museum. Tools used to clean the marbles in 1937–38. The artefacts held in London suffered from 19th-century pollution which persisted until the mid-20th century and have suffered irreparable damage by previous cleaning methods employed by British Museum staff.
Who was the painter who voted to buy the marbles for the British?
Among the supporters of Elgin was the painter Benjamin Robert Haydon.
When did the Elgin Marbles leave the UK?
image copyright. Reuters. A sculpture from the Elgin Marbles has been allowed to leave the UK for the first time since Lord Elgin turned up in Greece in early 1800 and had them stripped from the Parthenon and shipped to Britain.
What is the significance of the Elgin Marbles?
The arrival of the Elgin Marbles in London, it is argued, transformed Europe's understanding of ancient Greek Art. "They are integral to the whole idea of the Universal Museum and the way museums over the last two centuries have come to display and interpret human culture," writes Professor Mary Beard. image copyright.
What did Greek campaigners argue about the Turks?
Greek campaigners argue that the Turks were a foreign force acting against the will of the people they had invaded. The opposing sides agree on only one thing - that the Elgin Marbles form one of the most important collections of classical art in existence. image copyright. Reuters.
How many countries did the Parthenon fragments end up in?
Fragments from the Parthenon alone ended up in some 10 European countries, or were lost altogether. On his return to England, Elgin told a Parliamentary inquest that a desire to protect what was left of the treasure was part of his motivation in taking them.
How much did the Parliament pay for the Parthenon?
In 1816, Parliament paid £350,000 for the Parthenon Marbles - most of which went to Elgin's many creditors - and a new home was found at the British Museum, albeit initially in a shed.
When did Elgin move the marbles to London?
The sculptures were transported to Britain between 1801 and 1805; by 1807 they were on show in London.
Where are the Marbles?
1816. Since 1832 - apart from the years when they were sheltered in Aldwych underground station to avoid war damage - the Marbles have remained in the British Museum. A highlight of the British tourist trail, their uncomfortable acquisition has put them at the heart of one of Europe's most entrenched cultural disputes.
Who owns the Elgin marbles?
The Elgin Marbles. FACUNDO ARRIZABALAGA/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock. For the last two centuries, the British Museum in London has claimed ownership of the Elgin Marbles without producing documentation that can establish beyond reasonable doubt that Lord Elgin, a Scottish diplomat, legally acquired the Parthenon sculptures from the Ottoman Empire in ...
Who was the courier of the marbles?
The English version identifies Philip Hunt (an agent for Elgin who worked in Greece) as the marbles’ courier, lists a date for the contract as 1816, and suggests that a Constantinople Ottoman official gave signed approval for the exchange.
What did Rudenstine claim was fraud?
Rudenstine claims that Parliament committed fraud by inserting Hunt’s name into the document , which was later used to legitimize Elgin’s 1816 sale of his marbles to the British Museum at a moment when the public favored returning cultural property to its source nation.
How did the British Parliament commit fraud in 1816?
According to Rudenstine, British Parliament committed fraud in 1816 by purposely altering a key document during the translation process, making it appear as though Elgin had received prior authorization from Ottoman officials to remove the Parthenon marbles when he had not.
Did Rudenstine say the British Museum must return the Elgin Marbles?
And when they published the document in English, the government failed to lend clear evidence to support their claim,” he said. “If my argument is true, then the British Museum must return the Elgin Marbles.”.
When did Greece get the Parthenon back?
Greece has repeatedly requested the return of the Parthenon sculptures since gaining independence in 1832 , and officials in the country stepped up their efforts to bring Greek objects back into the country since the opening of the Acropolis Museum in Athens in 2009.
Does Brexit strengthen the Greek cause?
More recently, Brexit has strengthened European support for the Greek cause. Last week, the country inserted a clause into the European Union’s trade negotiations with the United Kingdom that would require the British government to return all its stolen antiquities.
When did Elgin's marbles reach London?
In 1810 Elgin published a defense of his actions that silenced most of his detractors. The final shipment of the Elgin Marbles reached London in 1812, and in 1816 the entire collection was acquired from Elgin by the crown for the sum of £35,000, about half of Elgin’s costs.
Why was Elgin assailed?
An outcry arose over the affair, and Elgin was assailed for rapacity, vandalism, and dishonesty in hauling the Grecian treasures to London. Lord Byron and many others attacked Elgin’s actions in print. A select committee of Parliament was established to examine the sculpture and the possibility of acquiring it for Britain.
Where did Elgin leave the embassy?
Hirmer Fotoarchiv, Munich. A series of shipments took the treasures to England in 1802–12 with but one mishap—HMS Mentor sank in a storm off the Greek isle of Cythera in 1804, but the entire cargo was recovered. Elgin left the embassy in 1803 and arrived in England in 1806.
Why did the artist ask permission to use the Sublime Porte?
Fearing that they would eventually be destroyed because of Turkish indifference, he asked permission of the Sublime Porte to have artists measure, sketch, and copy important pieces of sculpture and architectural detail for posterity.
Where are the Parthenon sculptures?
Alternative Title: Parthenon Sculptures. Elgin Marbles, collection of ancient Greek sculptures and architectural details in the British Museum, London, where they are now called the Parthenon Sculptures.
What is the significance of marble sculptures?
These marble sculptures depicted scenes from Greek mythology, such as the birth of Athena and Athena’s victory over Poseidon. As a culture that lived by the notion that any non-Greek person was barbaric, the marble statues of the Parthenon stood as reminders ...
Why are the marble statues of the Parthenon important?
As a culture that lived by the notion that any non-Greek person was barbaric, the marble statues of the Parthenon stood as reminders to Athena’s people of Greek and Athenian supremacy. More than two millennia after completion of the Parthenon and the decorative marble statues, Athens was no longer that mighty republic thriving under Pericles ...
What are the arguments of the British and Greeks?
Both the British and Greeks argue that each have legal and moral claim over the Parliament’s marble adornments. The British defend their ownership of the marbles based on Greece’s lack of an adequate museum and the fact that they paid for the pieces (McGuigan 2). They further bolster their argument claiming that Western culture including Britain is ...
Why was the Parthenon built?
This temple was built to honor the patron deity of Athens, Athena. This goddess’ attributes of intellect and warrior prowess reflected ideals that the Athenians revered. As a warrior culture with extreme civic pride, Athena’s Parthenon was the focal point of the Acropolis and visible from around the city of Athens.
Did Lord Elgin have the right to remove the statues?
Legally, I don’t believe that Lord Elgin had permissible right to remove the statues, thus his selling them to the British Museum of Art was not legally right. When determining which right of ownership is more pressing, Voulgarakis states it best: “The problem is not legal.
Is the Elgin marble part of British history?
They further bolster their argument claiming that Western culture including Britain is a product of Greek antiquity, thus the Elgin marbles are part of British history as well (The British Museum 2).
Overview
Contemporary reaction
The contemporary museum director in the Louvre had no doubt around the legality of the acquisition of Lord Elgin. During the art restitutions of post-Napoleonic France to other European States, Vivant Denon, then director of former Musee Napoleon then Louvre, wrote in a private letter to the French ambassador Talleyrand who was then engaged in the Congress of Vienna: "If w…
Background
Built in the ancient era, the Parthenon was extensively damaged by earthquakes. Also, during the Sixth Ottoman–Venetian War (1684–1699) against the Ottoman Empire, the defending Turks fortified the Acropolis and used the Parthenon as a castle and gunpowder store. On 26 September 1687, a Venetian artillery round, fired from the Hill of Philopappus, ignited the gunpowder, and the resulting explosion blew up the Parthenon, and the building was partly destroyed. The explosion …
Acquisition
In November 1798, the Earl of Elgin was appointed as "Ambassador Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary of His Britannic Majesty to the Sublime Porte of Selim III, Sultan of Turkey" (Greece was then part of the Ottoman Empire). Before his departure to take up the post he had approached officials of the British government to inquire if they would be interested in employing artists to take casts and drawings of the sculptured portions of the Parthenon. According to Lord Elgin, "th…
Description
The Parthenon Marbles acquired by Elgin include some 21 figures from the statuary from the east and west pediments, 15 of an original 92 metope panels depicting battles between the Lapiths and the Centaurs, as well as 75 metres of the Parthenon Frieze which decorated the horizontal course set above the interior architrave of the temple. As such, they represent more than half of what now remains of the surviving sculptural decoration of the Parthenon.
Legality of the removal from Athens
The Acropolis was at that time an Ottoman military fort, so Elgin required special permission to enter the site, the Parthenon, and the surrounding buildings. He stated that he had obtained a firman from the Sultan which allowed his artists to access the site, but he was unable to produce the original documentation. However, Elgin presented a document claimed to be an English translation of an Italian copy made at the time. This document is now kept in the British Museum…
Damage
Prior damage to the marbles was sustained during successive wars, and it was during such conflicts that the Parthenon and its artwork sustained, by far, the most extensive damage. In particular, an explosion ignited by Venetian gun and cannon-fire bombardment in 1687, whilst the Parthenon was used as a munitions store during the Ottoman rule, destroyed or damaged many pieces of Parthenon art, including some of that later taken by Lord Elgin. It was this explosion th…
Relocation debate
Those arguing for the Marbles' return claim legal, moral and artistic grounds. Their arguments include:
• The main stated aim of the Greek campaign is to reunite the Parthenon sculptures around the world in order to restore "organic elements" which "at present remain without cohesion, homogeneity and historicity of the monument to which they belong" and allow visitors to better …