Lions from the archaic Panionion

Source: MMA

In 1992 three terracotta antefixes decorated with the heads of lions were acquired by New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art (1992.36.1, 2, 3). Their histories were supplied:

[With George Zakos (1911-1983), Basel, Switzerland]; after 1983, with Janet Zakos (d. 2003); 1980s, purchased from Janet Zakos by Robert E. Hecht, Jr.; [until 1992, with Robert E. Hecht, Jr.]; acquired in 1992, gift of Robert E. Hecht, Jr.

Hans Lohmann's work at what has been identified as the archaic Panionion sanctuary (MYK 139) on Mykale to the north-east of Priene has found two lion-head antefixes. He then notes: 

Three identical antefixes which are evidently made from the same mold were donated to the Metropolitan Museum of Art at New York in 1992, but evidently came from this site.

Zakos has been linked to a number of controversial acquisitions of objects that had clearly been derived from Türkiye. They include the acquisition between 1966 and 1970 of a major hoard of Lydian silver plate by New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art (MMA): this has been returned to Türkiye. Another major acquisition was the Sion Treasure of Byzantine silver that was acquired by Dumbarton Oaks in 1966. The treasure is reported to have been found in a field to the west of Kumluca in Lycia: the site seems to have been that of the city of Kordylla. The plate may have been associated with a church in the city or perhaps a nearby monastery: an inscription identifies ‘Holy Sion’. 

Antefix from the archaic Panionion
Source: Hans Lohmann

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Byzantine Capital Returned to Türkiye

A marble Byzantine capital showing the archangel Michael has been returned to Türkiye from New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art (inv. 1983.167) [JSTOR]: it has been placed on loan at the museum (L.2025.28). The history (so-called "provenance") of the piece is as follows:

Possibly from the monastery of the Virgin Peribleptos, or All-Seeing (now the Sulumanastir, Istanbul); [Robin Symes Limited, London (sold 1983)]; Deaccessioned for transfer of title to Türkiye in September 2025

This adds to the growing list of objects linked to Robin Symes that have been repatriated to Greece, Italy and Türkiye. 

The capital is said (by whom?) to have been found near to the Sulu Manastir. If so, did the Met explore when the capital had left Türkiye? And should such an association be treated with caution?

Evans, H. C., M. Holcomb, and R. Hallman. 2001. "The Arts of Byzantium." The Metropolitan Museum of Art Bulletin 58.

Evans, H. C. Editor. 2004. Byzantium: Faith and Power (1261-1557). New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art. No. 50. [Online]

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Returns to Greece from New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art

Source: MMA

The Metropolitan Museum of Art has announced that it returned 12 antiquities to the Hellenic Republic of Greece in October. 

The Metropolitan Museum of Art announced today that it is returning 12 objects to the Hellenic Republic of Greece, including: four pieces of jewelry, two iron machaira (swords), two bronze belt clasps, two terracotta jugs, and two stone axe heads, and one group of silver spirals. The archaeological works range in date from 2700 BCE to 400 BCE. The works range in date from 2700 BCE to 400 BCE. Through the Museum’s cooperation with the Manhattan DA’s office, and as a result of its investigation into Fortuna Fine Arts, the Museum recently received new information that made it clear that the works should be repatriated, resulting in a constructive resolution.

The return is presumably part of this oblique press release from the Manhattan DA that acknowledges help from Fortune Fine Arts. Some of the items can be recognised here.

Although the press release does not give further details (and the press release list is not entirely accurate), these items can be identified as:

• gold pendant, [1999.12] 
• [Until 1999, with Fortuna Fine Arts, Inc., New York]; acquired in 1999, purchased from Fortuna Fine Arts, Inc. Deaccessioned for return to the Hellenic Republic in September 2025.
• two silver bracelets [1991.170.1] [1991.170.2]
• [Until 1991, with Selim Dere, New York]; acquired in 1991, gift of Selim Dere. Deaccessioned for return to the Hellenic Republic in September 2025.
• Gold and silver bracelet, [1993.314]
• [Until 1993, with Selim Dere, New York]; acquired in 1993, anonymous gift. Deaccessioned for return to the Hellenic Republic in September 2025.
• two iron machaira (swords), [2001.346] [2001.543]
• [Until 2001, with Fortuna Fine Arts, Inc.]; acquired in 2001, purchased from Fortuna Fine Arts, Inc. Deaccessioned for return to the Hellenic Republic in September 2025.
• [Until 2001, with Fortuna Fine Arts, Inc., New York]; 2001, purchsed by Andres A. Mata from Fortuna Fine Arts, Inc.; acquired in 2001, gift of Andres A. Mata, in honor of Carlos A. Picon, 2001. Deaccessioned for return to the Hellenic Republic in September 2025.
• two Macedonian bronze belt clasps, [2001.578] [2001.579]
• [Until 2001, with Fortuna Fine Arts, Inc.]; acquired in 2001, purchased from Fortuna Fine Arts, Inc. Deaccessioned for return to the Hellenic Republic in September 2025.
• 2001.579: Purchase, Mrs. Constance Goulandris Gift, in memory of Christos G. Bastis, 2001
• Cycladic or Cretan terracotta jug,  [2004.342.2]
• [Until 2004, with Fortuna Fine Arts, Inc., New York]; June 2004, purchased by Andres A. Mata from Fortuna Fine Arts, Inc.; acquired in 2004, gift of Andres A. Mata. Deaccessioned for return to the Hellenic Republic in September 2025.
• Cycladic collared jar, [2004.342.1]
• [Until 2004, with Fortuna Fine Arts, Inc., New York]; June 2004, purchased by Andrés Mata from Fortuna Fine Arts, Inc., New York; acquired in August 2004, gift of A. Mata. Deaccessioned for return to the Hellenic Republic in September 2025.
• two stone axe heads, [2004.342.3]] [2004.342.4]
• [Until 2004, with Fortuna Fine Arts, Inc., New York]; June 2004, purchsed by Andres A. Mata from Fortuna Fine Arts, Inc.; acquired in August 2004, gift of Andres A. Mata. Deaccessioned for return to the Hellenic Republic in September 2025.
• one group of silver spirals. [1992.367.1–.6a, b]
• [Until 1992, with Selim Dere, New York]; acquired in 1992, anonymous gift. Deaccessioned for return to the Hellenic Republic in September 2025.

Other pieces of interest (not apparently discussed in the press release) include:

• a terracotta figure returned to Italy [2000.39]
• Private collection, England; [until 2000, with Fortuna Fine Arts, Inc.]; acquired in 2000, purchased from Fortuna Fine Arts, Inc. Deaccessioned for return to the Republic of Italy in September 2025.
• See Manhattan DA press release for mention of Fortuna Fine Arts
• a marble head of Demosthenes returned to Türkiye [2012.479.9]
• Mussienko Family Collection, Maryland, 1973. Sold by Fortuna Fine Arts, New York, to Ariadne Gallery, New York, in 1987. Sold by the Ariadne Gallery to Morris Pinto, New York, before December, 1992. Consigned by Morris Pinto to Christie’s New York, December 15, 1992, lot 14, passed in. Consigned by Morris Pinto to the Acanthus Gallery, New York. Acquired by Renée E. and Robert A. Belfer from the Acanthus Gallery, New York, before 1998. Given by Renée E. and Robert A. Belfer to The Metropolitan Museum of Art in 2012. Deaccessioned for return to the Republic of Türkiye in September 2025.

The press release remarks:

As part of a commitment to transparency, The Met has launched object webpages for all restituted works of art, specifying that the object has been returned and to what country.

It would be helpful, in the spirit of transparency, if the so-called provenance team provided more precise information about their returns. A concerted effort to tidy up the "repatriated objects" page would be a start.

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More returns from the Metropolitan Museum of Art

Tarentine funerary relief
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Manhattan DA has provided limited details about the recent return of antiquities to Italy [August 6, 2025; press release]. A cluster of items seems to be derived from Tarentum, and includes three fragments of a funerary relief that were sold to New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art in 1996 by Robin Symes. All had a reported history that suggested that they had been in an anonymous English private collection from the 1950s. Two of the returning items–a limestone column capital and a capital fragment from a naiskos—were gifts by the Aboutaam family in 1995. This group of material should alert other museums that hold Tarentine material supplied by Symes.

Among the 31 antiquities being returned to Italy is a fragmentary Attic black-figured column-krater attributed to Lydos. The fragments were derived from Robin Symes and additional fragments from the Rosens and Dietrich von Bothmer.

The Met has yet to issue a press release about its return.

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Lydian Hoard: More Returns to Türkiye

Source: New York, Metropolitan Museum of Art

New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art has returned two more pieces of silver from the Lydian Hoard. They consist of a silver phiale (inv. 1980.11.13; Bothmer, Treasury no. 25) and a silver oinochoe (inv. 1980.11.16; Bothmer, Treasury no. 40). Both were purchased from the Classical Purchase Fund / The Bothmer Purchase Fund.

The history ("provenance") of the pieces is as follows:

Reputedly, collection of the family of Elizabeth Ebnöther, Zurich, Switzerland; [by 1980, with Galerie Nefer, Zurich]; acquired in 1980, purchased from Galerie Nefer. Deaccessioned for return to the Republic of Türkiye in June 2025. 

The press release from the Manhattan DA notes the association with Frieda Tchacos.

The use of "reputedly" to link objects to specific collectors is similar to the "reportedly" used for pieces in the Stern Cycladicising collection (discussed in BMCR).

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