This sculpture, also known as the Elgin Marble, named They are named after Thomas Bruce, 7th Earl of Elgin and 11th Earl of Kincardine (Lord Elgin), who transported them from Greece to England in 1803. They have been part of the British Museum’s collection since 1816 and have long been claimed by the Greeks. Completes the series at the Acropolis Museum in Athens.
“This is not a question of returning artifacts whose ownership we have doubts about. We believe that these sculptures are Greek and essentially stolen. But this is not a question of ownership, this is a discussion of unity,” Mitsotakis said. BBC.
The Greek Prime Minister added: “Where can we best understand what is essentially a monument? It’s as if I were to cut the Mona Lisa in half and take half to the Louvre and half to the British Museum. It’s like saying, “Please.” Do you think the viewer will understand the beauty of the painting? ”
This is why Greece is “lobbying” for a partnership between Greece and the British Museum, which would allow the sculptures to be seen in their original environment, Mitsotakis explained in an interview.
However, his comments were not well received by the British government, and scheduled talks between the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) ally and the former European Union ally were canceled hours before they were scheduled.
According to media reports, Mitsotakis has been offered an alternative meeting with British Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden. However, the Greek Prime Minister rejected this proposal.
“Those who firmly believe in the correctness and justice of their positions will never hesitate to engage in constructive discussions and debates,” Mitsotakis said, referring to Sunak after the talks were called off.
by BBCSpeaking during Prime Minister’s Questions (PMQ) in the House of Commons on Wednesday, Mr Sunak said of the ill-fated meeting:Of course, we are always happy to discuss substantively important topics with our allies, such as tackling illegal immigration and strengthening our actual security. ”
He added: “However, it was clear that the purpose of the conference was not to discuss substantive issues of the future, but rather to flaunt and re-discuss issues of the past, which was inappropriate.” he added.
meanwhile, Speak to ThePrint Thursday, Vijay Kumar, co-founder of the India Pride Project, a group of art lovers who work to identify and ensure the return of stolen artefacts from India, also said, “Art needs to be appreciated in the form in which it was made.” “There is,” he said.
“The Parthenon frieze was made to be viewed from a certain height. It’s not at the same height as you would see it in the British Museum. Is it really better to see it in the British Museum, or where should it be viewed from? ” asked Kumar.
ThePrint explains how the sculpture at the center of the diplomatic dispute ended up in London, and the current status of negotiations over its return to Athens.
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History of Parthenon sculpture
The carvings of the Parthenon include 15 metopes (carved relief panels), 17 pedimental figures (carvings from triangular spaces forming the gables of the low-pitched roof), and 247 commemorating the birthday of the goddess Athena. It consists of the original frieze of ft. Website of the British Museum.
The website added that Lord Elgin, then British ambassador to the Ottoman Empire (then the governing authority of Athens), received the medal. company man Permission was granted by Sultan Selim III of the Ottoman Empire to remove “approximately half of the sculptures” from the ruins of the Parthenon. However, the legality of the permit is questionable.
Report published in national geographic history magazine Published in March/April 2017 issue British historian William St. Clair noted in his 1967 study “Lord Elgin and the Marbles” that he concluded that no permission had been granted for the removal and export of the friezes and sculptures from the Parthenon. .
As reproduced in the report of National Geographic History tA specific line in the controversial permit, which is often cited as legal evidence for the export of this sculpture, states: “If you wish to remove any part of the stone on which old inscriptions or figures are engraved, no objection shall be made.” It says “No.”
Kumar said the permit likely allowed for the removal of “loose debris” inside the Parthenon.
He pointed out that the version of the permit that currently exists is the original Italian translation. The original has been lost, further raising questions about “ownership” of the sculpture.
However, the British Museum said on its website that the sculpture’s removal was “thoroughly” investigated by a select committee of the British Parliament in 1816, and the process was deemed “totally lawful”.
The sculpture finally arrived in London after a perilous journey that ended with a shipwreck and Lord Elgin being imprisoned for three years in France, near the Spanish border. national geographic.
The collection is housed in the British Museum
According to the national geographic history According to the report, Lord Elgin paid 74,000 pounds (approximately more than $1 million in today’s terms) out of his own pocket to recover and export the marble from Greece to Britain.
In 1808, while pursuing an expensive divorce settlement, Elgin pressured the British government to purchase the sculpture, the report added.
The negotiations excited the British public, with some believing they should be purchased with public funds, but others, like poet George Gordon Byron, opposed removing the sculptures from Greece in the first place. There were also people, the report said. .
Then, in 1816, Englishman Parliament set up a committee to assess the value of the collection and ultimately agreed to provide Elgin with £35,000 for the entire collection. The council voted on the proposal and approved the sale by a narrow margin of 82-80.
The sculpture was eventually moved to the Elgin Rooms of the British Museum in 1832.
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Greece demands return
In 1832, the Kingdom of Greece secured full independence from the Ottoman Empire, and since then, successive governments have reportedly petitioned for the Parthenon sculptures to be returned. The British Museum has so far rejected all requests for its return. national geographic history report.
According to the British Museum’s website, a formal request for the return of the Parthenon sculptures was first made in 1983.
“Since then, various meetings and discussions have taken place. Media reports have stated that the Greek government has requested to borrow the sculpture; “Requests[to lend the sculpture to other museums]have never been received,” the website added.
There is currently no permanent return or restoration of ownership to Greece. Ban Under the British Museum Act 1963.
Sections 4 and 5 of the Act allow museums to loan and dispose of their collections under certain conditions. The object is a “copy of another object,” was created “before 1850,” and substantially consists of copies. If the museum determines that the item is not suitable for storage.
Museums around the world return items stolen during colonial times
There is precedent in the UK for museums returning suspicious objects in the past.
Glasgow Museums has agreed to return seven artefacts to India in 2022, including six from 14th- and 11th-century stone door jams stolen in the 19th century, according to media reports.
Glasgow Museums has a history of returning stolen art to its original country since at least 1998. He has reportedly agreed to return 19 bronze objects stolen from the Nigerian city of Benin, which was looted in 1897.
Similarly, hundreds of items stolen during the Dutch colonization of Indonesia and Sri Lanka were reportedly announced to be returned to their countries of origin in early July this year. The object was returned from the Volkenkunde Museum in the city of Leiden in the Netherlands.
According to Kumar, the concept of a world museum is dead.
“These artifacts can now be viewed online, and if there is any question of ownership, museums should try to repatriate the items to their country of origin,” he said.
Kumar went on to add that these sculptures were often removed by force from their countries of origin. “Local communities were often given the opportunity to part with their precious heritage at gunpoint. Would this be considered a fair sale?” he added.
(Edited by Richa Mishra)
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