Princeton maintains silence

Source: MiBAC

Princeton University seems to be avoiding commenting on the fact that the Princeton University Art Museum has returned a major block of antiquities to Italy. Earlier in the week the spokesperson seemed to be unsure how to respond to the Italian press release.

Chasing Aphrodite has now written an extended comment on the return and specifically notes the role of the press team at Princeton:

In response to a previous request for information, Princeton Museum spokeswoman Cass Cliatt took pains to distance the museum from the Padgett/Almagia case: “The[re] were not and have not ever been any allegations against the University related to the current investigation, and the Italian authorities at no point contacted the University about the current investigation. Great care should be taken about implying a connection.” It is not clear how a criminal investigation into the museum’s curator and a major donor (and alum) have nothing to do with the museum, and these returns only raise further questions.

Cliatt adopted a similar policy back in June 2010 when the story broke in the New York Times. Cliatt also seemed to avoid making useful comment when Princeton returned antiquities back in 2007.

How can a major North American University museum return so many objects to Italy without some comment? Or is the university distancing itself from the issue?