The J. Paul Getty Trust has agreed to return
"significant objects" to Italy from its collection of Etruscan and
Roman art, including "several masterpieces." It appears that many
objects in the museum were looted from Italy and made their way to the museum
though illicit dealers.
To facilitate a settlement with Italy over its claims to antiquities
in the Getty Museum, the trust also agreed to donate its building to Italy.
In exchange for the antiquities and the building, Italy will
"provide loans of objects of comparable visual beauty and historical
importance."
If the trustees of The Getty give their nod of approval to
the agreement, they will immediately begin searching for a place to display
them.
Italy has also been asking other American museums to return
contested objects. The Metropolitan Museum in New York recently agreed to
return objects but managed to exclude its building from the fray. Italy is
also negotiating with the Princeton University Art Museum and the Museum of
Fine Arts in Boston.
Maurizio Fiorilli, who is a lawyer for the Italian
government maintained that all the talks were going along with "great
openness,." and went on to say, “We are especially pleased when the museum
agrees to include its building. In this way, Italy is assured of an
increasingly splendid architectural heritage.”
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