Met Museum Creates Provenance Research Team to Scrutinize 1.5 Million Objects

The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York is seeking to fill the position of provenance research manager, along with three additional research roles, to examine the legal and ethical histories of its 1.5 million artifacts, which cover 5,000 years across 17 curatorial fields. This initiative comes in response to recent controversies, including Cambodia's claim that numerous items associated with the late collector Douglas A.J. Latchford were illicitly obtained, based on information from a former looter. An investigation by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists identified 1,109 items previously owned by individuals or galleries implicated in antiquities crimes. The Manhattan District Attorney's office has seized items from Turkey, Egypt, and Italy, while the museum has voluntarily returned 45 objects to various nations. An advisory committee comprising 18 curators and conservators will guide the museum's collecting policies.