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by Sharon Waxman
from Times Books
| | | List Price: | $30.00 | | Price: | $19.80 | | You save: | $10.20 (33%) | | | Media: | Hardcover | | Availability: | Usually ships in 24 hours |
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Editorial ReviewA journey across four continents to the heart of the conflict over who should own the great works of ancient art Why are the Elgin Marbles in London and not on the Acropolis? Why do there seem to be as many mummies in France as there are in Egypt? Why are so many Etruscan masterworks in America? For the past two centuries, the West has been plundering the treasures of the ancient world to fill its great museums, but in recent years, the countries where ancient civilizations originated have begun to push back, taking museums to court, prosecuting curators, and threatening to force the return of these priceless objects. Where do these treasures rightly belong? Sharon Waxman, a former culture reporter for The New York Times and a longtime foreign correspondent, brings us inside this high-stakes conflict, examining the implications for the preservation of the objects themselves and for how we understand our shared cultural heritage. Her journey takes readers from the great cities of Europe and America to Egypt, Turkey, Greece, and Italy, as these countries face down the Louvre, the Metropolitan Museum, the British Museum, and the J. Paul Getty Museum. She also introduces a cast of determined and implacable characters whose battles may strip these museums of some of their most cherished treasures. For readers who are fascinated by antiquity, who love to frequent museums, and who believe in the value of cultural exchange, Loot opens a new window on an enduring conflict.
Customer Reviews:
- Avg. Customer Rating: 4.0 / 5.0
- Must Not Know Much About Art...
I admit that I have not read this book, but I am skeptical of the author's knowledge of art history and ability to critically examine its nuances. In the glowing review above from the Washington Post (the paper she works for in fact) there is the following quote:
"It is shocking. Imagine the Mona Lisa's face cut out of her canvas with a kitchen knife," writes Waxman.
Any person with even a basic background in Art or just an admirer of the Mona Lisa knows that it is not painted on canvas, but is a... more info
- LOOT INDEED
This is thoroughly researched, fascinating book. The author goes above and beyond to try to give both sides of the debate their due. After reading this, I totally side with the musuems..I mean where would these treasures be if they had not been saved years ago..Do you really think Greece or Turkey would have taken such care of these treasures?..or that the millions that have tranversed the British Museum to see the Marbles would have seen them..in Greece? The returning of these items is a slippery... more info
- Who Owns The Ancient World's Treasures?
For the last couple of centuries Western invaders have helped themselves to art and treasure from ancient world, as control and ownership have changed hands. Now, many of those countries have started demanding the return of those items. Waxman takes a journalists view of the claims, counter-claims and reality of situations, in an engaging well written book. Loot focuses on the collections in four major museums - the Louvre, the British Museum, the J. Paul Getty Museum and the Metropolitan Museum of Art -... more info
- A New Way of Looking at the Acquisitions of Museums
Think about the current placement of the Rosetta Stone. It was discovered in Egypt by Napoleon's army in 1799. Then the French army capitulated to the British, with the stipulation that all the specimens uncovered by the savants who accompanied Napoleon had to be turned over. The stone was eventually transferred to England, and has been prominent within the British Museum ever since. While the French and English scuffled and argued over its ownership, no one was asking the Egyptians what they thought.... more info
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