Getty to return three ancient pieces to Italy

La Times ^ | Jason Felch

[woofie]

Italian authorities have agreed to accept an offer from the J. Paul Getty Museum to return three ancient objects allegedly stolen from Italy, but say they jhuwill continue to pursue dozens more artifacts in a separate criminal case against the museum's former antiquities curator.

The Getty's offer came after protracted negotiations with Italian authorities, and it figures prominently in the museum's strategy of building goodwill with the Italian government, records show.

The Italians have presented evidence that each of the three items was looted from Italian tombs or taken from collections in Italy, in violation of the country's patrimony laws.

One, an ancient urn believed to have been painted by the Greek artist Asteas about 340 BC, was the subject of a forfeiture complaint filed by U.S. authorities on behalf of the Italian government last year. The complaint details how the object was unearthed in Italy by an excavator in 1974, sold to a smuggler for a pig, and purchased by the Getty from a Swiss art dealer in 1981 for $275,000.

[Tijeras_Slim]

We ought to throw in a few fake petroglyphs.

[vetvetdoug]

The Italians want us to return a GREEK urn taken from them while supporting Nazis during WWII. The Romans (Italians) during war took it from the Greeks. Looks to me that the Italians need to STFU.

[woofie]

artping needed

[Leg Olam]

A degree in fancy trowel work and a penchant for long-winded lectures is all that separates tomb Archaeologists from tomb robbers. One usually buys from the other. The guy who got the pig probably got the best of the deal on a piece of 2000 year old tupperware. I'm sure the brie and chabli set at the Getty are deeply saddened.

[Sam Cree]

Art Ping!

Let me or Republicanprofessor know if you want on or off the art ping list.

[LexBaird]

What's an ancient urn?



I dunno. Let's ask Helen Thomas.

[LexBaird]

Beware any art painted by a Greek names Asteas.

[SunkenCiv]

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[SunkenCiv]

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