NewsRestitution
Archaeologist launches private bid to retrieve priceless Egyptian treasures from European museums
Zahi Hawass, former Egyptian minister of antiquities, corrals international team of experts to press institutions for return of important artefacts
NewsRestitution
Germany returns indigenous remains of 45 ancestors to Australia in 'long overdue step'
Saxon government acknowledges “years of disregard for their dignity and importance to their communities of origin”
NewsRestitution
Cambridge college returns Benin bronze to Nigeria
Statue of a cockerel was looted by the British in 1897 from the Court of Benin
NewsRestitution
German museum acquires Heinrich Campendonk painting after restitution to Jewish collector’s heir
Work once belonged to the shoe manufacturer Alfred Hess, whose family was forced to flee Nazi Germany
NewsRestitution
Dr Oetker returns painting to heirs of Jewish tobacco dealer murdered by the Nazis
Leo Bendel was killed at Buchenwald three years after he sold the painting by Carl Spitzweg to fund his escape from Nazi Germany
NewsRestitution
France returns a historic sword to Senegal
The gesture is intended as a symbol of France’s commitment to repatriating African heritage
NewsRestitution
George Soros's Open Society Foundations pledges $15m to help Africa recover looted heritage
Paid over four years, it will support efforts made by museums, grassroots-organisations and governments
NewsRestitution
Bern museum sells $4m Manet painting from Gurlitt art hoard
National Museum of Western Art in Tokyo agrees to buy the painting, Ships at Sea in Stormy Weather
NewsLaw
Who really owns this Schiele watercolour Portrait of the Artist's Wife?
A three-way battle is brewing in New York courts as the heirs of two Holocaust victims take on the work’s current owner
NewsRestitution
FBI recovers painting suspected as Nazi loot from US museum
Gari Melchers's painting of a winter landscape, which was in the Arkell Museum in the state of New York, belonged to the media mogul Rudolf Mosse
NewsRestitution
Namibian artefacts travel home in Berlin museum research project
But return of the objects permanently to Namibia is not the immediate goal, says Hermann Parzinger, president of the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation
CommentRestitution
Icom Kyoto 2019 conference: key takeaways from the decolonisation and restitution panel
Discussion argued for community empowerment, new skillsets, and focus on contemporary colonialism
NewsRestitution
Trump opens door to restitution claims on art seized by Cuba
While the president is the first to allow Title III of Helms-Burton Act to be used, some whose collections were taken doubt it will have an impact
NewsLoans
Greece in talks with Louvre to borrow Parthenon frieze as part of 'temporary exchange'
Move reignites debate over British Museum’s position on sculptures brought to Britain by Lord Elgin
NewsRestitution
German Nazi loot panel divided on Max Stern painting—but returns it to his heirs anyway
For first time, advisory team stipulates that work must not be sold for ten years in case evidence emerges that contradicts its ruling
NewsRestitution
Growing pressure on the British Museum as Jamaica is latest government seeking return of objects
Spokeswoman for the London museum says it has not been officially approached by the country over the return of the two objects made by the Taíno people in its collection
CommentLaw
Why this Cézanne painting could hold the key to solving thorny heritage disputes
Innovative agreement to share contested work from Gurlitt trove provides a roadmap for similar legal cases
NewsRestitution
Benin gets €20m loan for new museum to show restituted heritage
France’s president pledged to return 26 items seized in the 19th century by the French military
NewsRestitution
Austria promises to return ancient artefacts to Russia that were taken as war trophies
An Austrian army officer took the 2,000-year-old objects from a war-damaged museum in the port of Temryuk at the end of the Second World War
NewsRestitution
France retreats from report recommending automatic restitutions of looted African artefacts
Suggestions from controversial Savoy-Sarr report were all-but buried at a conference held in Paris
NewsRestitution
Uffizi recovers Nazi-looted painting from Germany
The Dutch still life heads back to the Florence museum after bold campaign by director
NewsNazi loot
Berlin museums appeal to US Supreme Court in dispute over €200m Guelph Treasure
The case 'shouldn't be heard in a US court', argues the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation
NewsNazi loot
Mass theft of art from East German citizens revealed in new report
Study reveals that up to 8% of museum acquisitions were looted from private citizens
CommentRestitution
British Museum must recognise its own powers in matters of restitution
Case of Ethiopian tabots shows that trustees' hands are not tied when it comes to the disposal of certain items from the collection
CommentRestitution
Polish government must stop dragging its heels on restitution
Serious roadblocks remain for claimants looking to reclaim works looted by Nazis
NewsRestitution
Netherlands to restitute two paintings sold by Jewish businessman in Nazi era
Restitutions Committee recommends return of two Golden Age works to heirs of Jacob Lierens
NewsRestitution
British Museum considers loan of ‘invisible’ objects back to Ethiopia
Country has requested return of 11 tabots held in sealed storeroom that the Ethiopian Orthodox Church believes should only be viewed by its priests
NewsRestitution
Thyssen-Bornemisza Collection can keep a painting that the Nazis stole, US judge rules
The judge says the work should have raised suspicions, but that he must apply Spanish law
NewsRestitution
Italian prosecutor claims Medieval missal in Morgan Library was stolen from parish church
Official argues that its return could help boost tourism in an area that has suffered economically from earthquake damage
NewsArt market
Bonn library recovers 600 books missing since the Second World War
Sotheby's assisted the return of the books, including 11 medieval manuscripts, which were found in Belgium
NewsRestitution
FBI launches campaign to return haul of Native and South American works
Thousands of illegally removed items—including human bones—were discovered on collector’s farm
NewsRestitution
Indigenous human remains returned to Australia by five German institutions
Australia is pursuing further repatriations from Germany, ambassador says
CommentMuseums in the changing world order
Museums in the changing world order: Restitution to Africa reaches tipping point
In the second part of a new series, Adrian Ellis examines the issue of post-colonial restitution
NewsErnst Ludwig Kirchner
Norwegian foundation bought $22m Kirchner that the Guggenheim restituted last year
Painting acquired for Oslo's National Gallery was bought at auction from heirs of Jewish dealer persecuted by the Nazis
NewsLooting
A 'missed opportunity'? US seeks to return painting looted by Nazis to Ukraine
Questions are being raised about how the work ended up in the US and why such a public seizure is being pursued now
NewsRestitution
Panel urges return of Hitler’s Bellotto paintings to heirs of Jewish retail magnate
German advisory commission on Nazi-looted art says paintings in government collection should be restituted to the descendants of Max James Emden
NewsRestitution
Italy and China team up to fight looting
During president Xi Jinping's visit to Rome, Italy announced that it will return 796 artefacts to China
CommentLeaders
What’s in a title? It’s time to reframe the Parthenon Marbles debate
The British Museum's ownership of the statues is only guaranteed within the UK—things get more complicated on an international level
NewsRestitution
London museum returns emperor's hair—taken by a British officer as a war trophy—to Ethiopia
The two locks will be buried at the monastery where emperor Tewodros' body was interred
NewsNazi loot
German cathedral returns Nazi-looted Dutch Old Master to heirs
Dutch Square is one of many paintings Bavaria returned to the families of the looters instead of the original Jewish owners after the war
NewsLaw
US Supreme Court declines to review a challenge to the National Gallery's ownership of a Matisse
Grandchildren of muse depicted in 1908 painting exhaust their US appeals
NewsCornelius Gurlitt
Signac painting in Gurlitt hoard identified as Nazi loot
Restitution discussions with descendants of Jewish owner are underway
NewsRestitution
Culture ministers from 16 German states agree to repatriate artefacts looted in colonial era
Joint declaration is “a statement of historical responsibility,” says Culture Minister Monika Grütters
NewsRestitution
Dutch museums take initiative to repatriate colonial-era artefacts
Rijksmuseum opens talks with Sri Lanka, ethnology museums publish guidelines
NewsTEFAF Maastricht 2019
Savoy-Sarr report fails to dent tribal market, says Tefaf exhibitor
Didier Claes, who was consulted for the restitution report commissioned by French president Emmanuel Macron, says it has invigorated the market for African art
NewsRestitution
London’s National Army Museum to return emperor's hair to Ethiopia
Hair was cut from the emperor Tewodros's body after he committed suicide following defeat at the battle of Maqdala in 1868
CommentNazi loot
Holocaust-era art restitution: more complex than you think
A rush to judgement has resulted in notable errors with some "Nazi-looted" art having been purchased legally
NewsArt market
European Parliament calls for restitution overhaul
Resolution includes proposals for database of looted art, support for provenance research and exemptions from statutes of limitations
NewsRestitution
Met hands over an Egyptian coffin that it says was looted
Describing itself as a victim of fraud, museum says it cooperated with district attorney's investigation
NewsLooting
Heirs of Baron Herzog continue battle for Nazi-looted art collection despite US Supreme Court dismissal
Decades-long case to reclaim works held in Hungary’s museums will now go through US District Court
NewsRestitution
Spanish art dealer returns carved stones from a Nabatean temple to Jordan
Helped by an Oxford academic, Diego López de Aragón raised the alarm after acquiring the pieces from the estate of a Spanish diplomat and collector
NewsRestitution
Germany allocates €1.9m for museums to research colonial-era acquisitions
An eight-member panel including Bénédicte Savoy will assess grant applications
NewsRestitution
Nigeria calls for return of Lander Stool from the British Museum
Woodcarving was taken from the African country in 1830 by the UK explorer Richard Lander
NewsUkraine
Ivan the Terrible returns to Ukraine
19th-century oil painting, stolen during the Second World War, was found in the US
NewsBritish Museum
Looted ‘cannibal’ bowl will not travel to Quai Branly in Paris for Oceania exhibition
Royal Academy says conservation issues—not restitution fears—mean the ceremonial feast trough can not be loaned
CommentRestitution
Eurocentrism still sets the terms of restitution of African art
A selective view of African cultural heritage continues the colonialist paradigm
NewsArt market
French antiquities dealers slam ‘shocking’ report on restituting African art
Dealers’ association seeks meeting with culture minister over fears report will open the door to numerous restitution claims for a range of artefacts
AnalysisRestitution
The repatriation debate intensifies as calls for post-colonial restitution grow—but is it legal?
Recommendations from Savoy-Sarr report into restitution by French museums may contravene the country’s laws
NewsRestitution
Dutch policy on Nazi-loot restitutions under fire
The “smallest and most chilling distinctions are being made in order to allow museums to keep their collections intact,” experts say
CommentRestitution
Britain's pillaging of the Benin Bronzes begs for a reasonable resolution
As debate grows over Europe's 19th-century cultural plunder of Africa, the key is to ensure meaningful access
NewsRestitution report 2018
Scholars call for Berlin centre on colonial-era heritage
Appeal published in Die Zeit welcomes Macron report but says debate should not be limited to restitution
AnalysisThe Year In Review
2018 in museums: big ethics questions dominate the field
Museums are facing greater scrutiny over sponsorship and the artists they choose to display
News
DR Congo to request restitution of works from former coloniser Belgium
Country's president Joseph Kabila made the announcement ahead of opening of revamped Africa Museum outside Brussels
News
Italian court says Getty Museum must surrender prized bronze Statue of a Victorious Youth
The Los Angeles institution counters that it will keep on fighting to maintain the linchpin of its collection
CommentRestitution
Should we relinquish our insistence on privileging original works of art?
Technological wizardry in replication is improving, alongside claims to relocate far-flung treasures
Podcast
Exclusive interview with Edmund de Waal, plus Roma persecution
How artists fight persecution is explored with the artist and author of the Hare with Amber Eyes and Krzysztof Gil, who describes the chilling history of "Roma hunting". Produced in association with Bonhams, auctioneers since 1793.
NewsRestitution
Senegal and Ivory Coast will ask for return of objects in French museums
Statements come just days after the release of a controversial French report on the restitution of African artefacts
CommentRestitution
Legal challenges remain for restituting African artefacts from French museums
Getting around the inalienability of public collections is dealt with in the report—but it might not work legally and practically
CommentRestitution
Restitution Report: museum directors respond
The French academics Bénédicte Savoy and Felwine Sarr urge President Macron to return African artefacts. But does the report go too far, or not far enough?
NewsRestitution
French President Emmanuel Macron calls for international conference on the return of African artefacts
Announcement comes after controversial report urged the president to return works taken “without consent” in the colonial period
NewsMuseums & Heritage
Washington Principles: the restitution of Nazi-looted art is still a work in progress, 20 years on
Major conference in Berlin this week marks anniversary of landmark agreement
NewsCultural policy
'Give Africa its art back', Macron's report says
A new report on the status of African objects in French museums will urge the president to return works taken “without consent” in the colonial period
NewsRestitution
Dusseldorf auction house returns Dutch seascape to heirs of Jewish art dealer Max Stern
Auctioneer Frank Hargesheimer compensates consignor, sees “moral duty” to restitute art lost due to Nazi persecution
CommentSavoy/Sarr Report
One year after the Sarr-Savoy report, France has lost its momentum in the restitution debate
It recommended the restitution of African artefacts in French museums, but the country has not returned a single item to Africa
Alexander Herman