Düver fragments returned to Türkiye from Virginia Museum of Fine Arts

Source: VMFA

The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts has announced that it has deaccessioned 41 fragments of the Düver frieze that it acquired in the 1970s (Press Release). Details of the acquisition were provided:

In 1978, VMFA purchased 34 terracotta reliefs from Summa Galleries in Beverly Hills, California, and six additional reliefs were received as gifts from Chicago-based antiquities dealer Harlan J. Berk. The following year, Summa Galleries gave another relief to VMFA, resulting in 41 polychrome terracotta relief fragments from the temple being added to the museum’s collection.

A fragment from a separate New York private collection had been returned in 2022. 48 fragments of the frieze had been returned from the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek in 2024.

Other museums with parts of the frieze will no doubt be contacting the authorities in Türkiye.

These returns show that the 1970 UNESCO Convention is no longer the benchmark for making the case for repatriations. 

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Francavilla Marittima and the links to Switzerland

Fragment of plate
formerly in the Michael C. Carlos Museum

In 1979 the J. Paul Getty Museum acquired ‘a large collection of fragments of Corinthian pottery (79.AE.110) and Italian imitations of Corinthian wares (79.AE.111)’. A similar batch of material was purchased by the Archäeologische Institut der Universität Bern. As a result of research by Vera Uhlman several joins between the two collections (‘primarily from alabastra and pyxides’) were established, and a ‘set of fragments of Corinthian vases and local Italic imitations of Corinthian pottery’ were exchanged (83.AE.276). In addition, a number of plastic vases had been acquired in 1978 from ‘a private collection in Switzerland’ (78.AE.271) that were ‘part of the contents of an ancient favissa said to have been discovered in Lucania’. The combined number of fragments was in the region of 3,500. 

The fragmentary pieces appear to have come from a sanctuary at Francavilla Marittima inland from the Greek colony of Sybaris. Subsequently this cache of material was returned to Italy in 2011. 

Two more fragments linked directly to Francavilla Marittima have been returned to Italy from the Michael C. Carlos Museum at Emory University (2005.026.001). The fragment of a Wild Goat style plate joined two other fragments: one found at the Timpone della Motta sanctuary, and another in the collection of the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek in Copenhagen. The Carlos Museum fragment had formed part of the collection of Peter Sharrer and had been acquired at a sale of fragments at Sotheby’s (New York) in June 2005: the fragment is reported to have been in a private New York collection since 1976. 

Fragments formerly
in the Bothmer collection
and given to the
Michael C. Carlos Museum;
now on loan to the museum

The second set of Carlos Museum fragments consisted of a Laconian cup (2006.042.001A and B; now on loan to the museum) that had been acquired from Dietrich von Bothmer. Bothmer had acquired his fragments from Hans Jucker, professor of classical archaeology at the University of Bern, Switzerland. The Bothmer fragments joined fragments found at the Timpone della Motta sanctuary. 

It is perhaps significant that a fragment of a Laconian cup attributed to the Boreads painter formed part of Bothmer’s collection (New York MMA 2011.604.9.10): it ‘joins fragments at the Archaeological Collection, University of Zurich (Inv. 5942), formerly in the Ines and Hans Jucker-Scherrer Collection (by 1960s)’. 

Given that Bothmer clearly obtained material from Francavilla Marittima for his collection, which other pieces may also come from that source and perhaps join fragments derived from excavations there? 

James Cuno has noted that it was Sharrer who sold a collection of pottery fragments to Harvard University Art Museums. Are there any potential fragments from Francavilla Marittima residing in that location?

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The Wild Goat Plate Fragment and Francavilla Marittima

Source: Michael C. Carlos Museum

The Michael C. Carlos Museum at Emory University has returned a Wild Goat fragment to the Italian government. The statement notes:

In June 2021, Italy’s Ministry of Culture presented the Carlos with photographic evidence that the Carlos fragment joins with two other fragments from the same plate. One fragment, currently housed in the Museo Nazionale Archeologico della Sibaritide, was unearthed during official excavations at the Timpone della Motta Sanctuary in Francavilla Marittima. The second fragment was returned to Italy from a European museum following evidence it had come from illegal excavations at Timpone della Motta.

This is no doubt associated with the 3500 fragments acquired by the J. Paul Getty Museum in 1979 and 1983: the 1983 batch included joining fragments from the Institute of Archaeology in Bern. Other museums, including the Ny Carlsberg in Copenhagen, are said to have fragments from this same cache. 

The main cache of material was returned to Italy in 2001, four years before the Carlos Museum acquired its fragment. 

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Architectural terracottas from Pyrgi

It now appears that some of the architectural terracottas returned from Copenhagen to Italy [press release] were derived from the Etruscan sanctuary site at Pyrgi, the port serving Cerveteri. It is unclear why the museum authorities in Denmark have been so reluctant to disclose a full list of what has been returned. What is becoming clear is that many of the objects were handled by or associated with individuals such as Robert Hecht, Giacomo Medici, and Fritz Bürki.

Other European museums, especially those in Germany, Holland and the UK, need to be looking carefully at objects that were acquired from these same sources.

Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek: Terracottas

Further details are emerging on the Etruscan architectural terracottas that have been returned from the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek in Copenhagen to Italy.

Here is a selection of the architectural terracottas from the return. They are suggestive of material from several Etruscan temples in the region of Cerveteri.

• HIN 696-703. Raking simas. Similar to pieces from Cerveteri. Christiansen & Winter 2010, pp. 28-29, no. 1 
• HIN 704. Raking simas. Similar to pieces from Cerveteri. Christiansen & Winter 2010, pp. 38-39, no. 7  
• HIN 705. Raking simas. Similar to pieces from Cerveteri. Christiansen & Winter 2010, p. 38, no. 7
• HIN 706. Raking simas. Similar to pieces from Cerveteri. Christiansen & Winter 2010, pp. 38-39, no. 7  
• HIN 707. Raking simas. Similar to pieces from Cerveteri. Christiansen & Winter 2010, pp. 38-39, no. 7  
• HIN 708. Raking simas. Similar to pieces from Cerveteri. Christiansen & Winter 2010, pp. 38-40, no. 7  
• HIN 709, 710. Revetment plaques. Similar to pieces from Cerveteri. Christiansen & Winter 2010, pp. 116-117, no. 55  
• HIN 711, 712. Revetment plaques. Similar to pieces from Cerveteri. Christiansen & Winter 2010, pp. 116-117, no. 55  
• HIN 713-716. Revetment plaques. Similar to pieces from Cerveteri. Christiansen & Winter 2010, pp. 30-31, no. 2  
• HIN 717-719. Revetment plaques. Similar to pieces from Cerveteri. Christiansen & Winter 2010, pp. 30-31, no. 2 
• HIN 720-721. Seated sphinx. Cerveteri. Christiansen & Winter 2010, pp. 144-147, no. 69 
• HIN 722. Acroterion. Similar to pieces from Cerveteri. Christiansen & Winter 2010, pp. 148-149, no. 70  
• HIN 722. Acroterion base. Similar to pieces from Cerveteri. 
• HIN 722E. Acroterion. Similar to pieces from Cerveteri. Christiansen & Winter 2010, pp. 148-149, no. 70 
• HIN 722F. Acroterion. Similar to pieces from Cerveteri. Christiansen & Winter 2010, pp. 148-149, no. 70 
• HIN 723. Acroterion. Similar to pieces from Cerveteri. Christiansen & Winter 2010, pp. 148-149, no. 70 
• HIN 724. Acroterion. Similar to pieces from Cerveteri. Christiansen & Winter 2010, pp. 152-153, no. 72  
• HIN 725. Antefix. Similar to pieces from Cerveteri. Christiansen & Winter 2010, pp. 60-61, no. 19  
• HIN 726. Antefix. Similar to pieces from Cerveteri. Christiansen & Winter 2010, p. 57, no. 17 
• HIN 727. Columen plaque. Similar to pieces from Cerveteri. Christiansen & Winter 2010, p. 169, no. 76  
• HIN 728. Columen plaque. Similar to pieces from Cerveteri. Christiansen & Winter 2010, p. 168, no. 76  
• HIN 729. Acroterion. Similar to pieces from Cerveteri. Christiansen & Winter 2010, pp. 152-153, no. 72 
• HIN 731. Acroterion. Similar to pieces from Cerveteri. Christiansen & Winter 2010, pp. 148-149, no. 70  
• HIN 734. Acroterion. Similar to pieces from Cerveteri. Christiansen & Winter 2010, pp. 148-149, no. 70  
• HIN 737. Acroterion. Cerveteri. Lulof in Christiansen & Winter 2010, pp. 154-157, no. 73 
• HIN 738. Columen plaque. Similar to pieces from Cerveteri. Christiansen & Winter 2010, p. 168, no. 76 
• HIN 739. Raking simas. Similar to pieces from Cerveteri. Christiansen & Winter 2010, p. 46, no. 11  
• HIN 742. Tiles. Similar to pieces from Cerveteri. Christiansen & Winter 2010, p.33, no. 4
• HIN 743. Tiles. Similar to pieces from Cerveteri. Christiansen & Winter 2010, p.33, no. 4 
• HIN 744. Raking sima. Similar to pieces from Cerveteri. Christiansen & Winter 2010, p. 38, no. 7   
• HIN 745. Painted wall plaques. Similar to pieces from Cerveteri. Christiansen & Winter 2010, p. 188, no. 83  
• HIN 746. Raking sima. Cerveteri. Christiansen & Winter 2010, p. 38, no. 7  
• HIN 747. Plaques. Similar to pieces from Cerveteri. Christiansen & Winter 2010, p. 118, no. 56  
• HIN 750. Painted wall plaque. Similar to pieces from Cerveteri. Christiansen & Winter 2010, p. 189, no. 84  
• HIN 751. Raking sima. Similar to pieces from Cerveteri. Christiansen & Winter 2010, p. 38, no. 7  
• HIN 752. Painted wall plaque. Similar to pieces from Cerveteri. Christiansen & Winter 2010, p. 188, no. 83  
• HIN 753. Raking sima. Similar to pieces from Cerveteri. Christiansen & Winter 2010, p. 41, no. 7  
• HIN 754. Raking sima. Similar to pieces from Cerveteri. Christiansen & Winter 2010, p. 41, no. 7  
• HIN 755. Raking sima. Similar to pieces from Cerveteri. Christiansen & Winter 2010, p. 51  
• HIN 756. Raking sima. Similar to pieces from Cerveteri. Christiansen & Winter 2010, p. 51  
• HIN 758. Raking sima. Similar to pieces from Cerveteri. Christiansen & Winter 2010, p. 51  
• HIN 759. Raking sima. Similar to pieces from Cerveteri. Christiansen & Winter 2010, p. 41, no. 7  
• HIN 768. Acroterion. Similar to pieces from Cerveteri. Christiansen Christiansen & Winter 2010, pp. 150-151, no. 71  
• HIN 772. Tiles. Similar to pieces from Cerveteri. Christiansen & Winter 2010, p. 33, no. 4 
• HIN 773. Acroterion. Similar to pieces from Cerveteri. Christiansen & Winter 2010, pp. 152-153, no. 72  
• HIN 775. Acroterion. Similar to pieces from Cerveteri. Christiansen & Winter 2010, pp. 150-151, no. 71  
• HIN 872. Acroterion. Cerveteri. Lulof in Christiansen & Winter 2010, pp. 154-157, no. 73
• HIN 873. Raking sima. Similar to pieces from Cerveteri. Christiansen & Winter 2010, p. 44, no. 9   
• HIN 874-877. Taking sima. Similar to pieces from Cerveteri. Christiansen & Winter 2010, p. 45, no. 1  

Ny Carlsberg returns: the pottery

Here are details of some of the pottery from the Ny Carlsberg returns:

• IN 3417. Messapian trozella (nestoris). Acquired 1970 from the Art Market. Find-spot: Monte Salete (Grottaglie) in Apulia. CVA 1, pl. 105-106, no. 82.
• IN 3419. East Greek alabastron in the form of a sandalled foot. Acquired 1970. Allegedly found at Gela (Sicily). CVA 1, pl. 129, no. 123.
• IN 3444. East Greek alabastron in the form of a helmeted head. Acquired 1972. CVA 1, pl 127, no. 115.
• IN 3445. East Greek alabastron in the form of the head of an eagle. Acquired 1973. CVA 1, pl. 131, no. 129.
• IN 3498. East Greek alabastron in the form of a left leg. Acquired 1974. CVA 1, pl. 130, no. 122.
• IN 3606. Attic Panathenaic amphora, attributed to the Robinson group. Acquired 1980 on the art market. CVA 1, pls. 45-48, no. 28.

Ny Carlsberg Returns Objects to Italy

Tomb XI from Colle del Forno. Photo: Ana Cecilia Gonzalez

Back in 2008 I wrote about the Italian claims against the Ny Carlsberg in Copenhagen that had started in 2002. Earlier this month an announcement was made that Denmark would be returning objects to Italy.

A list of the material, some 501 objects, has now been released:

• 150 objects from the tomb XI ( Colle del Forno necropolis in Sabina ) with an Etruscan wagon , inv . no. HIN 527-550 , HIN 552-668, HIN 670-672 and HIN 675 
• 110 Etruscan architectural fragments from Cerveteri and Veii, inv . no. HIN 696-800 and HIN 802-806 
• 98 architectural fragments and antefixes from Veii , inv . no. HIN 822-919 
• 59 individual antique objects , inv. no. IN 3500 and IN 3502-3559 
• 17 architectural fragments, inv . no. IN 3426-3442 
• 19 Etruscan artifacts from Vulci and Cerveteri, inv . no. HIN 676-693 and HIN 695
• 34 individual antique objects, inv IN 3415, IN 3417-3419, IN 3423-3424, IN 3444-3445, IN 3447, 3498-3499 , IN 3570-3576, IN 3606-3607, IN 3622-3623, IN 3625, HIN 522-526 , HIN 669, HIN 673-674, HIN 821 and HIN 920-921 
• 14 Etruscan artifacts from Vulci and Cerveteri, inv. no. HIN 807-820 

The objects from Tomb XI from the Colle del Forno were acquired in 1970 and 1971.

I am grateful to Jakob Fibiger Andreasen for images and details, and to Lynda Albertson for other information.

For the sequence of numbers:

• HIN 522-526
• HIN 527-550 , HIN 552-668, 
• HIN 669
• HIN 670-672 
• HIN 673-674
• HIN 675 
• HIN 676-693 and HIN 695
• HIN 696-800
• HIN 802-806 
• HIN 807-820
• HIN 821
• HIN 822-919 
• HIN 920-921
• IN 3415, IN 3417-3419, IN 3423-3424
• IN 3426-3442 
• IN 3444-3445, IN 3447, 3498-3499
• IN 3500 
• IN 3502-3559 
• IN 3570-3576, IN 3606-3607, IN 3622-3623, IN 3625

Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek and Italy: "trasforma una crisi in opportunità"

The Italian Government and the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek in Copenhagen have come to an agreement over a series of objects acquired from the 1970s ("TORNA IN ITALIA IL PREZIOSO CARRO SABINO A DECORAZIONI DORATE: Franceschini, storico accordo tra l’Italia e il museo Ny Calsberg Glyptotek di Copenhagen", MIBACT 5 July 2016 [press release]). Although the press release is vague ("collezione di antichità del museo danese sin dagli anni Settanta del Novecento") it would appear that the objects are those associated with Robert Hecht (presumably "mercato internazionale dell’arte") and discussed by Elisabetta Povoledo in 2009. The original Italian request goes back to 2002 and renewed in 2007.

The press release also appears on the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek's website ("HISTORIC AGREEMENT BETWEEN ITALY AND THE NY CARLSBERG GLYPTOTEK"). One of the key sections provides information about the return:

About the Restitution 

The agreement is the result of the academic dialogue which has proceeded since the spring of 2012 between the Ministry of Culture in Italy and the Glyptotek. The agreement complies with the wishes of the Italian state for the restitution of a number of archaeological, primarily Etruscan objects which the Glyptotek acquired at the beginning of the 1970s through the international art market. Since that time investigations have shown that the objects had been unearthed in illegal excavations in Italy and exported without licence, which is why from a point of reason and common sense there is a consensus that these particular objects should return to Italy. 

The restitution which covers, for instance, the famous princely tomb from Sabina, begins in December this year and should be complete by the end of 2017.

One can only wonder if other museums in Japan, Holland and North America are preparing for further returns.

Copenhagen: return time?

The Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek in Copenhagen has been ignoring claims by Italy to return a substantial number of its acquisitions. The museum has ignored diplomatic pressure, and discussion in The New York Times. There has also been a response.

Chasing Aphrodite has now revisited the issue with a detailed discussion.

I would draw attention to the October 1997 interview with Jette Christiansen, curator at the Ny Carlsberg (and published by Vinnie Norskov).

What are your sources when acquiring (art market, collectors, etc.), or which are the most important?

As mentioned, objects were often offered to us. Some years ago we had good connections to an art dealer who brought many of the objects we acquired. On a few occasions we have tried to get hold of objects we knew were in private collections abroad. But until now we have not succeeded, have met with a refusal, or have had no answer at all to our request.

 It appears that the "art dealer" was Robert Hecht.

When will the curators at the Ny Carlsberg Glytotek take the appropriate professional decision to call the Italian authorities to negotiate the return of the items?

Ny Carlsberg: In the Spotlight

Jette Christiansen has written about the requests made by Italy against the Ny Carlsberg in the 2008 Annual Report ("I mediernes søgelys", Ny Carlsbergsfondets Årsskrift (2008) pp. 138-45 [pdf]). Back in January it seemed that the Italian authorities would be turning their attention to Denmark (and Japan). It has been reported that some items had been purchased from Robert Hecht and that at least one had passed through the hands of Giacomo Medici.

Christiansen reviews the recent press coverage of the Ny Carlsberg's acquisitions. The formal request from the Italian authorities was made in 2002 in connection with the Roman trial of certain dealers and museums curators; nobody is mentioned by name. It appears that there is documentation for transactions that were made through Switzerland. Renewed requests were made by the Italian authorities in January 2007.

Christiansen asserts that Italy has no legal claim in the Ny Carlsberg's collection. However there is an admission that possible exchanges are being discussed.

The report concludes with a mention that the international antiquities trade has now shifted to Dubai.

I am grateful to "Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek Speaks Out on Hecht-Medici Case", www.iconoclasm.dk for alerting me to this report.

Returning antiquities to Italy: next moves?

There has been a pattern of approaches to North American museums for the return of antiquities to Italy:
a. New York, Metropolitan Museum of Art: 2006, February [press release]
b. Boston, Museum of Fine Arts: 2006, September [press release]
c. Malibu, J. Paul Getty Museum: 2007, August [press release]
d. Princeton, University Art Museums: 2007, October [press release]

Then there are the pieces in the University of Virginia Art Museum in Charlottesville.

But where do the Italian investigations go from here?

The New York Times reports:

"Negotiations continue with private collectors of antiquities in the United States, as well as museums in Europe."

Material formerly owned by Lawrence and Barbara Fleischman has been returned from the Getty. And one of the significant North American private collectors is Shelby White.

Other news reports are more specific. Maurizio Fiorilli ("Italy, Princeton museum reach deal to return disputed antiquities") is quoted as saying that talks are now concentrating on "the New Carlsberg Glyptotek in Copenhagen, Denmark, the Cleveland Museum of Art and the Miho Museum in Shiga, western Japan".

The Cleveland Museum of Art holds disputed material. This includes an Apulian volute-krater attributed to the Darius painter. James Kopniske is quoted as saying that Cleveland "had received a request for the return of a number of objects and has been conducting research on the artifacts".

The Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek in Copenhagen appears to have purchased material from Robert Hecht. Bloomberg reported back in November 2005:

the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek in Copenhagen has six allegedly looted items, all of which came through Medici, including the decorations of an Etruscan chariot for which Hecht is also charged ...

The Miho Museum may contain, according to one 2007 report ("Is Japan a Cultural Looter?"), some 50 items which are reported to be under investigation. Japanese press reports have suggested that some of the material may have come via Gianfranco Becchina ("Records Tie Japanese Dealer to Looted Antiquities").

With thousands of Polaroids to study it is likely that there will plenty more revelations.