Showing 3 results for the tag: Florence.

February 19, 2017

TourismA 2017 in Florence

Posted at 12:07 am in Events

Parthenon Marbles round table discussion to form part of cultural tourism conference

The TourismA 2017 conference is taking place in Florence at present. As part of Sunday morning’s programme, there is a round table discussion on the Parthenon Sculptures, the campaigns for their return, how individuals can get involved and the practicalities of resolving the issue.

I will be attending as one of the panelists.

If you are in the area, please drop in to join the discussion.

To find out more about the event, please visit the official site for the exhibition.

TourismA exhibition, Florence

TourismA exhibition, Florence

October 10, 2012

Italy’s claims that the Louvre should return the Mona Lisa

Posted at 1:23 pm in Similar cases

I am a bit confused by this story – not least because, it is not at all clear that the Mona Lisa was ever removed from Italy without permission. As with many such claims, comparisons to the Elgin Marbles fail to see the uniqueness of the Parthenon Sculptures case – in that they were part of a building, as well as part of a greater whole – and therefore specifically designed to be seen in the context of the Athenian Acropolis.

Further to this, the whole argument that these should be returned because they are like the Elgin Marbles fails to note that the Palermo Fragment of the Parthenon Frieze was loaned to Greece with great reluctance by the Italian Museum authorities & had to be returned in March 2010 once the loan term ran out.

At the same time, it appears, at least from the article, that Italy’s National Committee for Historical, Cultural and Environmental Heritage has made a formal request to France – it seems odd that such a thing can have happened with relatively little prior news coverage, for such a well known artefact. At the same time though, if a formal request was made, issues are raised of how Italy can manage to raise one so easily, while the Greek Government has not made any sort of official formal request for the return of the Parthenon Sculptures since before the Athens Olympics.

I can see very little chance of France taking this request seriously – unless Italy comes up with a huge amount of more compelling evidence (none of which currently exists, to the best of my knowledge).

From:
Independent

We want our masterpiece back – Italians petition France to return Mona Lisa to Florence
Michael Day, Milan
Saturday 08 September 2012

Italian campaigners have collected more than 150,000 signatures calling on the Louvre Museum in Paris to hand over Leonardo Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa to its “home city” of Florence.

The National Committee for Historical, Cultural and Environmental Heritage says it has made a formal request to the French Culture Minister, Aurelie Filippetti, for the world’s most famous painting to be returned to the Uffizi Gallery, where was displayed briefly a century ago.
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October 19, 2010

Is Michelangelo’s David owned by Florence or by Italy?

Posted at 8:05 pm in Similar cases

Although they are not necessarily as high profile as international cultural property disputes, there are many intra-national cases where the both parties involved in the dispute are in the same country. Why this particular dispute has suddenly erupted now probably has a lot more to do with the politics of Berlusconi, along with a need for Rome to exert ownership of the who country than it does about the actual location where Michelangelo’s David is displayed (which as far as I am aware, is not being disputed).

From:
The Guardian

Italian government battles with Florence for Michelangelo’s David
Government lawyers produce nine page document as ‘conclusive’ proof that the sculpture belongs to the state
Tom Kington
Sunday 15 August 2010 21.22 BST

A fierce row has erupted over the ownership of Michelangelo’s David between the Italian state and Florence, the city where the masterpiece is on display.

A symbol of the Florentine Republic’s defiance of its enemies, including Rome, when erected in 1504 at the entrance to Palazzo Vecchio, the town hall, Michelangelo’s portrayal of the slayer of Goliath has remained a mascot for proud locals long after the unification of Italy.
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