Is England Losing its Marbles?

BY STEPHEN J. GOLDBERG, ESQ.

Art Brief

When Greece won its freedom from the Ottomans, shortly after Elgin spirited away the marbles, the Greeks demanded their return. The British refused. The romantic poet Lord Byron, who fought for Greece’s independence, was a vocal critic of British no-return policy and expressed his views in verse. Over the last two centuries, the British steadfastly refused to budge, claiming that Elgin paid for the marbles and that their government has clear legal title.

The British Museum (commonly referred to as the BM) is a must for anyone visiting London. Where else can you view the original Rosetta Stone and dozens of other spectacular ancient Egyptian monuments. The last time I was in London, I spent a couple of hours viewing the Parthenon marbles. It’s the third time I have seen them and each time I came away with awe at their beauty, and a disquieting sense that these items belong in Greece, at home with what is left of the Parthenon.

A Greek newspaper reported last December that there were serious negotiations between the Greek prime minister and George Osborne, a former Chancellor of the Exchequer who is now chairman of the BM. The newspaper said that the deal was centering on an arrangement where the British would “loan” the marbles for a period of at least 20 years in exchange for Greece lending the UK a rotating selection of antiquities. Of course, the Greeks hope that after 20 years the loan would become permanent. The New York Times reported that the Brits offered to loan the Greeks no more than a third of the Parthenon artifacts and for a much shorter time period.

The return of antiquities to native art institutions is a growing concern for museums world-wide as the countries of origin make more frequent demands. Last year the Smithsonian returned 30 Benin Bronzes to Nigeria. Germany also repatriated 20 of the bronzes. But some art institutions are digging in, fearing that their prime treasures will be taken away.

The BM needs a renovation, estimated to cost one billion pounds, and as it attempts to raise funds, patrons may hesitate to donate, turned off not only by the possible loss of the Parthenon marbles, but by the pressure to return its collection of Benin Bronzes and Egyptian antiquities, including the Rosetta Stone, to their native countries. Will the empire strike back?