I see that there there is a response to Fabio Isman's report on the 22 antiquities in Madrid that appear to be connected with the Medici and Becchina Dossiers (José Pérez-Guerra, "
Expolio de patrimonios: La Colección Várez Fisa, adquirida en 1999 para el MAN, en el punto de mira", infoenpunto.es July 7, 2010 ). Pérez-Guerra claims that the collector, José Luis Várez Fisa, purchased on the open market ("mercado abierto"). There is a call for a joint Italian-Spanish investigation to decide what should be done. It is suggested that experts in international law be included. However, it should be noted that the 120 or so antiquities returned from North American public and private collections to Italy were not the result of legal action (though I suspect lawyers were consulted).
It would be better for common sense to prevail and for the Spanish to negotiate a suitable exchange. This would avoid the curatorial staff in Madrid having to answer searching questions about their lack of due diligence over the acquisition especially as it was made
after the revaltions relating to the Geneva raids.
Image
Attic black-figured amphora from the Medici Dossier.
Comments
Kwame Opoku