Greece denies Parthenon marbles loan to Frankfurt over British Museum involvement
The Central Archaeological Council of Greece has turned down a request from Frankfurt's Liebieghaus Sculpture Collection to borrow nine Parthenon marble fragments from the Acropolis Museum for the exhibition 'Athena, the Stage is Yours: the Parthenon Puzzle', set to open on 18 November. This decision stems from the presence of two fragments that are on loan from the British Museum, which Greece argues were unlawfully taken by Lord Elgin in the 19th century. A representative from the British Museum confirmed that the museum will proceed with lending its fragments. Curator Vinzenz Brinkmann's team utilized 3D scanning technology to reconstruct the east pediment fully. The British Museum has held the Parthenon marbles since 1817, referencing the British Museum Act of 1963.
Key facts
- Greece's Central Archaeological Council rejected a loan request from Frankfurt's Liebieghaus Sculpture Collection for nine Parthenon marble fragments.
- The loan was for the exhibition 'Athena, the Stage is Yours: the Parthenon Puzzle', opening at the Liebieghaus on 18 November.
- The rejection is due to the exhibition showing fragments alongside pieces from the British Museum, which Greece says were removed by Lord Elgin.
- The Liebieghaus has secured loans of two fragments from the British Museum.
- The exhibition aims to fully reconstruct the east pediment of the Parthenon for the first time.
- Curator Vinzenz Brinkmann's team used 3D scanning and Roman sarcophagi reliefs to achieve a 100% match with remaining fragments.
- The British Museum has housed the Parthenon marbles since 1817 and cites the British Museum Act of 1963 as preventing their return.
- The exhibition is based on decades of research, building on the work of Arthur Hamilton Smith.
Entities
Artists
- Vinzenz Brinkmann
- Arthur Hamilton Smith
- Myron
- Lord Elgin
Institutions
- Liebieghaus Sculpture Collection
- Acropolis Museum
- British Museum
- Central Archaeological Council
- Greek Ministry of Culture
- Vatican Museum
- British Committee for the Reunification of the Parthenon Marbles
- Liebieghaus Skulpturensammlung
- Greek culture ministry
- UNESCO
- Central Archaeological Council (KAS)
- Ministry of Culture (Greece)
Locations
- Frankfurt
- Germany
- Athens
- Greece
- London
- United Kingdom
- Rome
- Italy
- Otricoli
- Oxford
- Istanbul
- Turkey