"The politics of restitution are often opaque — but not in the case of the Parthenon Marbles", writes Jan Dalley, Arts Editor of the Financial Times.
"Here we go again. The debate about the Parthenon Marbles in the British Museum — should they, shouldn’t they be returned to Greece, where a sparkling purpose-built museum overlooking the Acropolis from which the sculptures were wrenched by Lord Elgin from 1801-05 sits waiting for them — seems to go on for ever." Continues Jan Dalley in Saturday's Opinion in the Life & Arts section of the paper.
She goes on to remind readers of Melina Mercouri's 1980's passionate appeal and remembers her colleague, Peter Aspden, now a BCRPM member: " And it was more than a decade ago that my then colleague Peter Aspden, himself half Greek and a fervent Returner, put forward in this paper a very considered practical plan which included loan and sharing arrangements, and an ownership structure that would save face all round. It could have saved an awful lot of trouble — but some people just won’t listen, will they?" Asks Jan Dalley.
It was perhaps the Director General of the Acropolis Museum, Professor Nikolaos Stampolidis's response that made the difference in its robustness for Jan Dalley but because it emphasised that this is not only a strictly bilateral issue but at the same time it is a universal request: "it is a matter of international, western culture, not only of Europe but also . . . of all the democracies." Commented Professor Stampolidis.
To read Jan Dalley's article in the FT, follow the link here.
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