Missing Museum Items

Over 240,000 items missing in Russian museums

English.news.cn 2010-09-08 20:34:46 FeedbackPrintRSS

MOSCOW, Sept. 8 (Xinhua) -- Russian museums were missing more than 242,000 items, only 24,500 of which were reported as stolen, an expert from the Cultural Ministry said Wednesday.

According to Lyubov Molchanova, another 219,000 items were absent for unknown reasons, with mismanagement as likely a culprit as thieves.

Russia's Interior and Cultural Ministries were currently conducting a joint audit of the national museums' treasures after three major robberies happened in the largest museum, the Hermitage, in St. Petersburg.

They checked 1,881 museums, responsible for 73 million items.

The expert told a museums conference that some missing items might be actually still stocked in the museums but "just had been forgotten".

She referred to disorderly work and mismanagement in the museums as a reason for the mess.

Molchanova complained that some items had been transferred to governors and state institutions, who had refused to return them.

"Museum workers often are too humble to resist the officials' demands," said the expert as quoted by the RIA Novosti news agency.

Editor: Deng Shasha

This article was posted on English.News.cn on 2010-09-08

This article was sadly not surprising. The sheer number of missing artifacts is shocking, because that many items should never go missing, but it is not surprising. There are 73,000,000 objects under the care of Russian Museums and only 242,000 objects are missing. That is less than 1%.

Yes the number is large and somewhat overwhelming, but we have to keep it in perspective. I am willing to guess that most museums, after going through an inventory like the Russian museums just did would find that they were missing at least 1% of their objects.

I do not condone this, but I do want us to put this article in perspective. We, as readers, should not take away from this article the idea that the Russians have not been caring for their objects. This is not true. There are many factors involved when an object is missing. The most horrifying is theft, but more often than not the object was simply missplaced, and is actually still inside the museum. What we should take away from this article is that we as an overall community should place more importance on the preservation of our cultural heritage.

The article said "that some items had been transferred to governors and state institutions, who had refused to return them." out of the 219,000 objects missing, but not reported stolen, a good chunk of them would not be missing if we as a culture placed more pressure on these political figures to return their objects once the period of the loan was completed.

Theives of Baghdad by Matthew Bogdanos

"One marine's passion for ancient civilizations and the journey to recover the world's greatest stolen treasures."

That is the one sentence cover description for Matthew Bogdanos' book Thieves of Bagdad. It is an interest grabbing sentence and an very accurate statement. If I had zero previous knowledge about museums and the history of the fertile crescent I could have read this book and still feel the immensity of the lose and understand the need to protect these antiquities. This is primarily due to Bogdanos' ability to present his own obsession and love for these objects on page in an approachable manor.

Bogdanos explains that the media made many false reports about looting and thefts that occur ed at the Iraq Museum in Baghdad during the initial seizure of Baghdad. I remember being frustrated reading articles about the looting. At first my frustration was over the looting, but then the changing and conflicting reports brought greater confusion, until I didn't know what to believe. That is one reason why this book was so rewarding. Not only was it easy and fun to read, but it laid to rest the questions I had about the entire situation.

Bogdanos was the lead investigating officer at the museum. His background as a New York City District Attorney and Classicist gave him a unique perspective of the events in Baghdad.

I loved reading this book. I recommend this book to everyone, and hope all of you enjoy it as much as I did.

Museum Transparency

In the March 2010 edition of MUSEUM Maxwell L. Anderson presented his thoughts on Museum Transparency. His take seems to reflect his current position as the Melvin & Bren Simon Director and CEO at the Indianapolis Museum of Art. His article was very interesting. Anderson's Thesis was that museums could be transparent and successful if they are true to themselves. He presented five truths in the article that I agree with:

The size of a museum's audience should not reflect the amount of public financial support it receives,
Museums are not a part of the entertainment industry,
A museum's exhibits and activities should reflect its mission not its need to pay the bills,
A non-profit museum is a red-ink business,
It is appropriate for the government to financially support culture.

I would like to elaborate on two of these points. First, is that the museum is not part of the entertainment industry. Over the years this has gotten lost. First the public changed its viewpoint of museums, then the museum leaders changed with them. When museums began they were primarily intended as places of learning. Curiosity Cabinets where collected as, admittedly, a show of wealth, but also as a way to view the amazing wonders of the world in your own back yard. Scholarly insights were made at museum, where research and study flourished. Over time much of this has transferred from the museum to universities, but museums are still places to learn. Parents bring their kids to see an exhibit about dinosaurs on a rainy day. The kids are having fun seeing real dinosaurs and that fun and play may not look like education, but that is exactly what it is. (For more information about this just look at Mary Ellen Flannery's article in the same issue of MUSEUM.)Every notice that after a little boy leaves a dinosaur exhibit he can tell you the most amazing things about dinosaurs. Things you may not have known. That is because he is having fun in the museum, and when you interested in what your seeing AND doing you remember and notice more than if your read it out of a book. Museums are educational institutions and should not be judged by attendance records like the entertainment world. You would never judge a school or library by how many people enter the door, instead you judge it by how much they take out of it. Judge the museum the same way you would judge a library.

The second point I would like to elaborate on is that the government should support culture. Anderson notes that in Western democracy "cultural offerings are indispensable to their citizenry". He says this is how it is in every Western Democracy except for the U.S. Everywhere else "they define a nation's identity and shape a national conversation about what matters most." Why is the U.S. different. Why do we put less importance on preserving and spreading the culture that got us to where we are today? In Germany it is impossible to avoid knowing and facing the country's past. They have monuments, museums and cultural institutions everywhere that discuss their past and present. What is even more impressive is that when walking down the street you can ask any local about these monuments and they will be able to give you some information. It is not like that here in the U.S. Here late night TV hosts can walk down the street and ask people questions focused on U.S. culture and history and will find many blank stares or completely wrong answers. Why is the U.S. so drastically different? How can we fix this? How can museums make the public see them for what they are, educational cultural institutions. Anderson and many others think that the first step is museum transparency.

Anderson is leading by example. At the Indianapolis Museum of Art he and his colleges are practicing what they preach. It is not perfect, but it is closer than most, and a step in the right direction. One thing that they are doing there that I think is worth noting is providing the public with a complete list of all past and current deaccessioned objects. You can find the list on their website It shows any interested party the object, date of deaccession, the recipient, and how it was removed (aka sold, auctioned, transfer to another institution, etc.). This publicity is not required by museums, but I would include it in my best practices. What is especially nice about this is you can use it to follow, and prove an item's provenance. Many objects have a clouded provenance, and museum clarity in the accessioning and deaccesioning processes would help to remove some of the clouds. A quote of Anderson'a that I particularly like is "if we acquire and sell objects for and from our collections with only secondary regard for potential claims on ownership, ethical dilemmas or sources and destinations of funds, we are exposing our institutions to great risk." This is an important idea for museums to take to heart. The movement of elicit art and artifacts is an ancient, yet still blooming segment of the black market. Museums can not support this trade if we have any chance of minimizing its effects on the entire world's cultural heritage.

Super Bowl XLIV

Now, many of us have bets on the Super Bowl. The Super Bowl is a part of our American identity. So as American tune in on Super Bowl Sunday they will have bets on the line. Most of these bets involve the exchange money or maybe a case of beer, but the New Orleans and Indianapolis art museums have taken it to an entirely different level. They are betting their collections' masterpieces.

Where has our society gone to that those who are entrusted to protect our cultural property are betting that property on a sporting event. Now this particular bet isn't really a bad thing. The artwork involved will be sent to the winning city for three months and then returned to the loser. While this is a great way to grab the public's attention, I do not see how this fits into either museum's mission statement.

The pieces being put up by the Indianapolis Museum of Art (IMA) include "The Fifth Plague of Egypt," painted in 1800 by legendary English artist William Turner.


While the New Orleans Museum of Art (NOMA) include Claude Lorrain's treasured 1644 painting "Ideal View of Tivoli".


Anderson, NOMA's Director, stated that his confidence in the Colts and Peyton Manning when he said

Obviously we wouldn't presume to place one of our greatest masterpieces on the road for three months, unless we were sure we wouldn't have to.

No pressure Peyton.

Mineral Exhibits

Recently I visited the Houston Natural History museum and was able to peruse their natural mineral exhibit. Impressive is a dramatic understatement. It is not surprising that a natural history museum situated at the center of the American oil industry would have an impressive collection, both in size of the pieces and their quantity. The museum has rooms upon rooms of uncut stones. I still am unsure if I walked through all of the rooms, as many of them are hidden around corners. I can not begin to imagine what natural wonders sit protected in museum storage.

The exhibit, while mesmerizing was less than fascinating. The exhibit listed what each object was, but gave little or no information about how the mineral was formed. The exhibit was designed to showcase the collection rather than educate the visitor. The floors were covered with red carpeting. The lights were turned down, as jazz music played through unseen speakers. The ambiance reflected that of a jewelry store, not a museum.

On the other side of the spectrum is the Natural History Museum in New York city. This exhibit is clearly designed to educate the visitor. The mineral collection is less impressive than the one in Houston, but what they have has been put to good use. The exhibit is designed to educate, but the last time I was able to see the exhibit some of the educational tools where out of service. The exhibit seems to really on the fact that the visitor will already have a basic knowledge of minerals, or that they will be with someone who does.

Pergamon Altar

The largest altar known to man, the Pergamon Altar sits majestically on Museuminsel in Berlin, Germany. The altar was dedicated to Zeus by the ancient Greek city of Pergamon (modern day Bergama in Turkey) in the 2nd century BCE. It was shipped to Germany between 1879 and 1904 by Carl Humann. The Pergamon Museum was built between 1910 and 1930 to hold the Altar as well as other works from antiquity, especially Middle East and Islamic art.



The altar was originally used for religious and civic purposes. The 40 foot high structure is imposing by today’s standards and would have impressed the feeling of power over any ancient visitor. Its grandeur led to its recognition in Revelation 2:12-13 as “Satan’s Throne.”

When visiting the altar it is easy to forget that the entire structure is an altar, and not a temple with a small altar inside. Visitors climb up a tall flight of stairs to find themselves standing upon the sacrificial altar, i.e. the floor which is an intricate mosaic.



The experience is one of wonder. How did these ancient civilizations create such masterpieces? How is it that Germany was able to move this great structure from Turkey to Germany in 1879?

Theft at the Historical Society of Pennsylvania

The Historical Society of Pennsylvania (HSP) has a tremendous collection of 12,000 objects which tell the story of Pennsylvania through the civil war. The collection was moved and the catalogue was digitized in 1997. After the collection was moved Artifact Collections Manager, Kristen Froehlich, was reconciling locations for all the objects when she noticed something peculiar. She could not locate four items from the collection. Three swords presented by the citizens of Philadelphia to Civil War General George G. Meade, David Bell Birney, and Andrew A. Humphreys and a 1785 long-rifle were missing. After establishing that these artifacts were no longer in the museum the FBI was contacted by staff members to investigate.

Ms. Froehlich submitted a Notification of Theft form to the FBI on November 13, 1997. This document required her to submit valuable information to the FBI that could be found in the catalogue. For accession number P-4-9, the long-rifle, the form contained the known name of the object, the rifle’s previous owner, the date it was made, a photograph, the manufacturer, a description with measurements, a list of the materials the object is made from, unique decorations, engravings, a condition report and a list of publications mentioning the item. This information was also dispersed to other museums and dealers in the hopes that they would have information regarding the items’ location.

The FBI took this information to one of the largest Civil War weapon shows on the East Coast, the Great Southern Weapons Fair. The agent assigned to the case, Robert K. Whittman, dispersed the photographs and histories of the objects to the various experts and collectors present. It was at this fair that the FBI caught a break in the case. An expert on presentation swords, Bruce Brazelon, recognized at least one of the swords as being part of a group that had been offered for potential sale in 1994. This particular sword had been noted as missing during a previous inventory check. The museum had noted the misplacement of several items over the years, but was unable to prove if they had been stolen or simply misplaced. These items had not been included in the Notification of Theft form, but the list was provided to FBI as additional information. Including this list of missing objects proved to be invaluable in the recovery of the stolen materials. This sword had not been included in the list of thefts, and would not have been recognized by the sword expert if it had not been included in the list of objects with unknown locations. FBI agent Whittman brought information about all of the missing works to the weapon show, not merely the ones thought to be stolen.


Brazelon could not confirm if the items had been sold, but he did know who was trying to make the sale, a Poconos flea market dealer. With this new information in hand the FBI agents contacted the Poconos flea market dealer. The dealer was able to provide the FBI with the name of the person who tried to sell him the swords, George Csizmazia. Csizmazia was an electrical contractor from Rutledge, Pennsylvania, who had been briefly employed by HSP ten years earlier. At first Csizmazia denied any knowledge of the sword and other objects missing from HSP. The FBI had to break down his story, starting with his denial of knowledge of the swords. Eventually Csizmazia admitted the truth and brought the agents to his home where they found the stolen artifacts and approximately 200 of the “missing” artifacts. Csizmazia’s collection was strewn about his home. Objects, including a ring with a lock of George Washington’s hair, cigar holders, and the telescope used by Elisha Kent Kane to locate the Polar Sea were haphazardly placed on coffee tables, shelves, and on the walls. He even admitted to trimming his hedges with a sword from the 1600’s.
At this time Kristen Froehlich and Robert K. Whittman met with the objects and confirmed that the artifacts found in Csizmania’s home were the same pieces that belonged to HSP. They did this by reviewing each piece and comparing it to the photograph HSP had on file and the catalogue information. They had to make sure that each piece matched the museum’s records down to every inscription. This process did two things. First, it proved that the pieces had originated at HSP and the museum would be able to reclaim the objects after the case was closed. Second, it provided the FBI with an exact list of all the items stolen which affected the charges they would place against the suspect.

After further questioning, Csizmazia informed Agent Whittman of how he gained possession of the artifacts. About ten years earlier the subject had met a janitor, Earnest Medford, at HSP while Csizmania had been contracted to do some electrical work. The two men became friends. Medford eventually learned of the other man’s interest in history, particularly the civil war era and military antiques. At one of their meetings Medford presented Csizmania with a gift, a small artifact he had picked up at HSP. After this the security guard continued to “pick up” items for the collector, who paid him a small stipend. Over the years the security guard was paid around $8,000 for the items he stole. It turns out the thief was being severely under paid by his friend. The objects were worth between two and three million dollars. Csizmania and Medford were convicted of theft of culturally significant historical artifacts and were sentenced to spend four years in jail.

Yogi Berra Museum and Learning Center

The Yogi Berra Museum and Learning Center is a small institution connected to the Montclair State University. Yogi Berra Museum and Learning Center was founded to honor Yogi Berra and his legendary baseball career. There are few more recognizable names in baseball than Yogi Berra. Born in 1925 in St. Lois, Missouri Yogi always had an affinity for America’s pastime. He became a part of the Yankee franchise in 1942 when they signed him to play with their minor league team, the Newark Bears. It was not until after Yogi returned from serving in the Navy during World War II that the Yankees brought him to play in the majors. Yogi was a flamboyant player, continually talking behind the plate to distract opposing batters and freely swinging his bat were standard parts of his game. Yogi’s active career included fifteen All-Star Star appearances, three time American League Most Valuable Player, played in fourteen World Series including ten wins, and holds multiple World Series records. After a stunning career on the field Yogi moved to the dugout and became the Yankees manager in 1964. Shortly after this Yogi was fired by the Yankees and joined the Mets as a player-coach. This move caused a media frenzy in New York. The Yankees’ star had jumped the fence into the National League, and New Yorkers did not know how to respond. Yogi became the Mets manager in 1972. A year later he brought the last place Mets to National League pennant champions. In 1976, Yogi returned to his old team to be a coach. In 1985 Yogi was fired as manager by George Steinbrenner 16 games into the season. This created a rift between Yogi and the Yankees, which was finally reconciled during a private meeting in 1996 at the Yogi Berra Museum and Learning Center. In 1986 Yogi became manager of the Houston Astros, where he stayed until he retired in 1992. Yogi was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1972.

It should be no surprise that after such a distinguished career in New York with the Yankees and Mets Yogi Berra has become a beloved icon of the New York city area. It is with respect to this admiration that the Yogi Berra Museum and Learning Center was founded in 1998. Yogi and the Montclair State University have shared a long history. Yogi has had a residence in Montclair for the past fifty years. In 1996 Montclair State University provided Yogi with an honorary doctorate, a fine achievement for a man who had dropped out of high school to help support his family. In 1998 the University honored Yogi once again by naming their baseball stadium after him. Adjacent to the stadium they founded the Yogi Berra Museum and Learning Center. After a career in baseball that lasted over forty years, Yogi dedicated his life to the betterment of children through education, a dedication that the Yogi Berra Museum and Learning Center strives to continue. The Yogi Berra Museum and Learning Center focuses on providing visitors with an educational and enjoyable experience that provides a “nostalgic return to baseball when it was just a game.” The Yogi Berra Museum and Learning Center’s primary focus is on educational programming. This is made clear in the museum’s mission “to preserve and promote the values of respect, sportsmanship, social justice and excellence through inclusive, culturally diverse sports-based educational programs and exhibits.”

Yogi Berra’s career centered around the Yankee and Shea Stadiums, two monuments to America’s pastime. After standing over the Bronx for eighty five years Yankee Stadium was closed after the 2008 season. Shea Stadium also closed in 2008 after serving as the home of the Mets for forty four years. These two stadiums are monuments on their own, but because of their close association with Yogi the Yogi Berra Museum and Learning Center decided to showcase them in the current exhibit Going, Gone, Goodbye. The exhibit stands as a tribute to these two structures through the perspective of Yogi Berra. With a subject like this it would be easy for the exhibit to become stuck in the past, but the Yogi Berra Museum and Learning Center also conveys the idea that change is an essential part of society, and that New York baseball fans should look forward to the new stadiums.

Sassona Norton at the Morris Museum

The Morris Museum, located in Morristown, NJ, is currently exhibiting a variety of sculpture in their new gallery. The exhibit shows the development of sculpture from ancient Buddhist reliefs to contemporary sculpture. The exhibit opened on November 3, 2008 and will remain on display through May 2009. The exhibit is composed of eleven pieces and features three pieces by artist Sassona Norton.

Sassona Norton is a contemporary sculptor who prefers to work in the traditional process of lost-wax bronze casting, a technique that spawns from the ancient Egyptians who followed the same process, substituting wax for sand. Norton was selected out of thirty artists to construct a public memorial to 9/11 in Norristown, PA. The current exhibit at the Morris Museum is the second time the museum has featured Norton’s work. She was the primary artist in a 2006 exhibit. In the current exhibit she has three pieces, Memories of Sweetness, Unquenchable Thirst, and An Hour Before Dawn. Each piece was given to the museum directly from Norton for the purpose of exhibition.



Two of these works are used to frame the exhibit as the first and last things a visitor encounters. The first, Memories of Sweetness depicts a bald woman puckering her lips as if to kiss while holding out her hands as if she were holding a small animal with one hand and petting it with the other. The artist has chosen to show the woman’s hands and head, leaving the rest to the imagination. Her soft gesture conflicts with the coldness projected from the Cor-ten steel I-beam shaped column upon which it rests. This piece stands facing the entrance greeting each visitor.

The second donated piece faces the exit of the exhibit. This piece, Unquenchable Thirst shows the same female figure, only in this rendition her mouth is open and her hands are cupped as if she was holding water. Here too the artist has chosen to portray the woman’s hands and head on a Cor-ten steel beam. The sculptures share qualities of style, technique, and subject, but the end result is drastically different. Where the first piece is welcoming, reminding visitors of loving grandmothers, the second is harsh and unyielding. Norton accomplishes this with the severity of the gapping mouth.

Both of Norton’s pieces were created using the lost-wax bronze casting technique. Each sculpture is made of parts that give the illusion of the whole. Her use of parts to make a whole has been a major theme throughout her career.

The exhibit greatly benefits from the inclusion of these two pieces. The pieces show how one of the oldest techniques in sculpture is used in the contemporary world. Because of the connection between the old and new worlds of sculpture these works pull together the ancient Buddhist wood carvings with modern works of mix media and abstract thoughts.

Loot: The Battle Over the Stolen Treasures of the Ancient World

“They were made by other civilizations and found in Turkey. It’s the heritage of all humanity, the heritage of the whole world. This land belongs to us, but what we find under the soil, if we can’t look after it, maybe other people should.” –Mr. Kazim Akbiyikoglu

Whether one agrees or disagrees with the above statement, Sharon Waxman’s book, Loot: the Battle over the Stolen Treasures of the Ancient World will facilitate an understanding of the points of view about repatriation. Sharon Waxman attempts to accurately depict the multitude of opinions concerning repatriation. Whether or not she has been successful is debatable, but Loot definitely hits close to the mark. Waxman focuses her efforts on four countries: Egypt, Turkey, Greece, and Italy. All four of these have had objects repatriated to them from major Western museums, such as the Museé du Louvre, the British Museum, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the J. Paul Getty Museum. By focusing on these four countries, Waxman provides a balanced array of opinions pertaining to repatriation, a hot topic in today’s art world as museums and collectors are forced, for the first time, to answer to countries of origin for questionable past collection policies.



These origin countries want the return of the art of past civilizations which has been removed from their country under questionable circumstances. They argue that the art of ancient civilizations, such as Egypt, is their heritage first, before the heritage of western civilization and the world. Museums that are currently in possession of such objects argue that these pieces belong to the whole world and should be housed where the most people will have access to them. These museums frequently try to support the actions of the past by arguing that modern day inhabitants of these ancient sites are not direct descendants of the civilizations that created the art and therefore lack understanding and appreciation for the artifacts in question. The local inhabitants are portrayed as current inhabitants of the land who see ancient art as a price tag and perpetuate the looting of priceless art. Waxman present these two conflicting points of view and the variances in between without showing her personal opinion.

In Loot, Sharon Waxman approaches repatriation as a veteran journalist. She wrote for the Washington Post for ten years, reporting on Middle Eastern and European politics and culture. She went on to be a New York Times cultural correspondent, primarily focusing on Hollywood. Prior to her journalism career, she received a Master’s from Oxford University in Middle East Studies. Waxman’s approach to researching repatriation reflects her background in journalism because it was primarily focused on collecting first person narratives. She used literary sources to gather an understanding of the history of the four countries presented, but the information regarding present day situations stems from the interviews she conducted. The individuals interviewed were impressive and abundant. Interviewees include current museum staff, past museum staff, national cultural directors, law enforcement, art smugglers, and community members. Waxman provides her readers with the uncommon opportunity to see a panoramic view of repatriation that includes the perspectives of people who have had first hand experiences with repatriation. These experiences are often conveyed in their own words.

These interviews allow her to present the various perspectives held by individuals as well as the different approaches to achieving repatriation used by the four countries she focuses on. Egypt, Turkey, Greece, and Italy follow strategies with various levels of aggression. According to Waxman, Egypt’s strategy has been directed by Zahi Hawass, the secretary-general of Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities. Hawass has proved to be a formable figure for museums to contend with. He prefers to use the media to grab the public’s attention and support. This is an unconventional approach that is typically looked down upon by museum professionals who believe these issues should be solved through direct communication with the museum. He often surprises people with his candor and spontaneous outbursts in situations when the media is present. While he is often over the top, it has proven to be an effective technique. Today every museum with an Egyptian collection knows his name and is weary of his attention.



Turkey’s approach has traditionally been subtler than Egypt’s. Waxman focuses on the return of the Lydian Hoard to Turkey from the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City to show Turkey’s approach. In this example, repatriation was the result of the hard work of civilians with sparse support from the government. While the government has recently increased its role in repatriation, the return of the Lydian Hoard was the result of one journalist’s persistent effort. Waxman presents this example by showing how the Lydian Hoard originally left Turkey as the result of greed and a lack of understanding and respect by the local community. Even after its return, the Lydian Hoard was not safe from greedy hands and the prize piece of the collection was stolen from the museum. Today Turkey’s museums are underfunded and lack security, space and qualified personnel.



Greece has approached repatriation by individually tackling the arguments used against them. The primary example that Waxman uses is the Elgin Marbles held in the British museum. One argument the British Museum has used in the debate over where the marbles belong is that Greece lacked a place where the marbles could be properly cared for and shared with the public. However, this is no longer the case. A new Acropolis museum that meets these provisions is scheduled to open in the summer of 2009. Whether the marbles return to stand in this new facility is yet to be determined. In Greece’s effort to have the Elgin marbles and other artifacts returned, they have attempted to meet the standards of the international museum community and use international laws to support their claims.



Italy has traditionally ignored the use of investigation and law. The primary example Waxman provides is the Italian government’s interaction with the J. Paul Getty museum. In this situation, the Italian government collected evidence that many of the objects held in the Getty’s antiquities department were illegally exported from Italy. Italy pressured the Getty into returning these objects by threatening legal action. Italy eventually followed through on its threat and filed charges against one of the museum’s curators, Marion True. This seems to have worked as a large portion of the requested artifacts have been shipped to Italy, while other objects are awaiting the result of continuing negotiations.



Loot is an engaging read as one is welcomed into a world of intrigue. Waxman is able to show why repatriation is an important and highly debated issue. Whether or not the reader is familiar with the world of museums, they will enjoy the time spent within the pages and go away with new knowledge on the subject. Because of Waxman’s talent as a writer and knowledge of the subject, the reader is able to understand the different and often contradicting perspectives of individuals, institutions, and countries involved.

Book Review: Museum of the Missing: A History of Art Theft

Museum of the Missing: A History of Art Theft by Simon Houpt addresses the art world’s worst nightmare and threat, art theft. Art theft has been on the rise since the 1950’s when art began to sell for over hundreds of thousands of dollars. Thieves and their buyers are part of an intricate underground network that is overlooked by the general public. Houpt emphasizes the cultural and moral importance of dissuading the buying and selling of stolen art by providing a general history of art theft.



The book’s publication in 2006 occurred at a relevant time in the history of art theft, as evidenced by the recovery of Edvard Munch’s Madonna and The Scream by Norwegian police shortly thereafter. The two pieces, stolen on August 22, 2004, were one of the various examples used by Houpt to convey the dramatic history of art theft.

Edvard Munch's Madonna

Houpt structured his book to address the history of art theft from various angles. He examines the subject from the point of view of the collector, the thief, the investigator, museum security, and the law. By covering these perspectives Houpt provides the reader with a general overview of who is concerned with art theft and why while maintaining a narrative voice. Houpt notes that the individual art thief did not play a large role in stealing art until the 1950’s when art started to sell at auctions for noteworthy prices. Although Houpt’s voice is clearly biased, his view is generally accepted by professionals in the art world. Before high prices caught the attention of the average thief, stealing art was typically the result of conquering kings and the looting of armies. Houpt reserves one chapter, about a third of the book, for the topic and explains how kings took art from conquered lands as proof of the victor’s strength and superiority. His primary example of such activity is Hitler’s treatment of cultural property in World War II. The chapter, “Theft in the Time of War,” dedicated to looting can appear out of place despite its length because the rest of the book is focused on the effect of the common thief in the art world. The chapter appears to be a side story that grows out of proportion as compared to the primary plot. The remainder of the book is dedicated to art theft conducted by an individual or small band of thieves.

The book continues to explore the history of common art thieves through pertinent examples. One of his examples was Adam Worth, a successful art thief based in London. Worth created a rich persona that allowed him to move through London society at ease, investigating potential thefts. His story and those of others reflect the romanticism Houpt believes the general public associates with art theft. In balance to Worth’s villain, Houpt introduces his readers to Charley Hill, a Scotland Yard investigator who worked undercover to recover stolen art, including Goya’s Portrait of Doña Antonia Zárate. Houpt uses Hill’s real life experience to show the public what art professionals already know, that art thieves are not romantic characters looking for expensive thrills, they are criminals and purveyors of corruption. These criminals take the world’s cultural heritage away from the public, the rightful heirs of these works.

Goya’s Portrait of Doña Antonia Zárate.

Houpt uses these examples to demonstrate that art is a part of our cultural heritage that illistrates the great potential and achievements of mankind. Great works of art should be preserved to inspire all aspects of life. A sacred relic inspires the religious to believe. A landscape painting inspires the preservation and enjoyment of nature. It is important to protect these inspirations for future generations. This leads Houpt to address one of the many difficulties that arise in defending art from thieves. Because of the influence and importance of art, Houpt and other art professionals believe it should be easily accessible to the public. This may sound simple in theory, but it proves to be difficult in practice. Making art accessible, yet safe and secure raises many security issues. Methods of security used by museums to secure artwork include motion and heat sensors, video surveillance, trained security, alarms, and protective glass cases, however, these methods can be expensive and are not foolproof. In addition to the expense these methods bring to a museum, they also decrease the accessibility of the objects to the public. Houpt used an example of how glass was used to protect artwork, but the glass made it difficult for visitors to view brushstrokes. These difficulties are elegantly presented by Houpt, but he never provides a solution or best practices that can guide museums.

Beyond traditional security measures, Houpt places responsibility for object security on museum registrars. The public rarely sees the museum registrar and may not recognize their role. By placing a spotlight on the registrar, Houpt introduced the public to their role and reminds the registrar of the importantance of their job, especially in respect to security. Museum registrars can defend their museum from theft by maintaining a current and accurate catalogue of all objects in their collection. This will aid in realizing a theft, identifying the missing piece, and orchastraiting the recovery. Incomplete catalogues are an issue that many museums face. Another practice that helps registrars protect museum collections from art theft is to research and demans proper provenance for all incoming objects. The collection and general reputation of a museum will be tarnished if it acquires an artwork that lacks proper provenance. The public trust holds museums to a high moral standard; the purchasing of stolen art work damages this trust. In addition to lowering the public’s trust in the institution, purchasing objects without proper provenance increases the demand for stolen pieces. Beyond these methods to deter theft, registrars should reference stolen art databases when acquiring artwork.

In the end, Houpt listed a few ways that museum professionals can help to minimize and fight art theft, but he did not present any new methods or ideas. While the book does address an important topic that is often overlooked by the general public, it does not present information that is useful for the museum professional. Houpt’s casual style and vocabulary are more appropriate for the layperson. The book is eloquently written and uses well chosen examples to convey important ideas. Anyone looking for an introduction of the world of art theft would be satisfied with this book, however, it is not for the museum professional who is looking for guidance on how to handle situations in their job related to art theft.

Houpt, Simon. Museum of the Missing: A History of Art Theft. Sterling Publishing Co.: New York, NY. 2006.

International Relations

The following are news articles that discuss various international relations issues that effect museums.

Taiwan and China

Dr. Hawass and the Bust of Nefertiti

Ethiopian Crown and British Museums

Kenyan Memorial Statues

Museum of Egyptian Antiquities in Cairo

Get up there son.
You too Jen, climb on top.
Now smile for the camera.
Click

Although the language and names spoken vary from time to time this is a typical conversation outside of the Museum of Egyptian Antiquities in Cairo, as tourists climb onto the marble sphinx that stand guard in the Museum's garden for a photograph.



Recently I was lucky enough to travel to Egypt. This was a dream vacation that lived up to my greatest expectations. During my travels up the Nile and across the East Desert I saw monuments that I have studied in books since high school. While the pyramids were just as imposing as I had imagined and the temples more intricate and detailed than pictures can give justice there was one place in Egypt that did disappoint me, The Museum of Egyptian Antiquities in Cairo. As the primary museum for a country buried with history I expected to see great works of art and culture in an environment that supported their development and preservation.

It was to my great disappointment to see that this is not the case. Not only did the example above occur twice while I waited outside for my ticket, but inside the museum visitors had free reign, touching and leaning on ancient artifacts. The museum's conservation efforts began and seemed to end with their no photography policy. A few signs were located sparingly through out the museum saying "Do not touch", but this was not enforced, never mind followed. There was a beautiful statue of a Pharaoh from the Old Kingdom that was an example of beautiful workmanship. You could see the detail of a kneecap under thin drapery. While I was examining this piece a woman approached an noticed the same detail. She then proceeded to rub her hand across the knee of the statue. How can we expect these objects to survive for another thousand years if they are exposed to this kind of treatment? If visitors hands do not eventually rub away the workmanship of the ancient Egyptians, the chemicals left by their hands will.

Objects were crowded together with out any information pertaining to their history or significance. A few pieces did have labels, but these are few and far between and only offered in Arabic, with the occasional English comment.

This museum fell short of fullfilling the generally accepted fundimental roles of a museum: conservation, research, and education.

Museum of Islamic Art in Doha, Qatar

The new Museum of Islamic Art in Doha, Qatar was deigned by I.M. Pei. He has also designed the pyramid at the Louvre, the East wing of the National Gallery of Art in D.C. and many other museum spaces. The Museum opened in late November of 2008. The museum houses an encyclopedic collection of Islamic art. The Museum of Islamic Art is dedicated to being the foremost museum of Islamic art in the world, and as well a centre of education and information in the field of the arts of the Islamic world.

The building’s austere, almost primitive forms and the dazzling collections it houses underscore the seriousness of the country’s cultural ambition.

Gottesman Hall of Planet Earth

This past weekend I was finally able to make it to the American Museum of Natural History in New York City. During my visit I explored the Gottesman Hall of Planet Earth.


This exhibit provides visitors with a view of Earth outside of our daily experiences. It does this by providing up close looks at rocks, ice, and other natural objects that one wouldn't typically be able to see. These objects are used to explore and answer five core questions:

1) How Has The Earth Evolved?
2) Why Are There Ocean Basins, Continents, And Mountains?
3) How Do We Read The Rocks?
4) What Causes Climate And Climate Change?
5) Why Is Earth Habitable?

My favorite part of the exhibit was the Earthquake monitoring System. This area provides real time seismic data information from Alaska, Arizona, and Japan. It was interesting to see what these seismic graphs look like. I didn't realize that not only is the earth's crust constantly changing, but it the plates seem to move in a sequence. The charts show a slightly higher vibration occurring at regular intervals at all three locations represented.

I also enjoyed the sections on Rocks and the formation of the earth. The large example of Iron Ore offered at the start of the exhibit was as large as a person. This visualization helps visitors make a connection with the object. They learn that metal not only come from the earth in rock-like form, but they can be quite large. visitors also get to see how the iron looks on the inside.

Unfortunately, the section of the exhibit that focused on climate change was having technical difficulties when I visited. Without the video there wasn't much left for visual learners to take in, as the exhibit relies primarily on written explanations.

Taking Shape: Ceramics on Southeast Asia

The Arthur M. Sackler Gallery has an excellent exhibit outlining the process used in Southeast Asia to make ceramic pieces from cooking pots and storage jars.

"Taking Shape presents ceramics made over a span of 4,000 years by women and men living in the region that today comprises Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, and Burma."

Taking Shape houses approximately 200 ceramic pieces. While this is a very interesting exhibit, one which I would suggest to anyone interested in organized communities and/or ceramics, the most interesting part of the exhibit was how the materials are presented.

The Sackler Gallery is now primarily as an art museum. It focuses on Asian cultures, but as an art museum, as opposed to a cultural museum. Most exhibits are arranged in a similar fashion as any major art museum, which would focus on the visitor seeing the object, while ignoring the other senses. Taking Shape stands out in this crowd of exhibits because it tries to follow the theory of learning through discovery. This theory believes that people will absorb more if they are active participants in the "lesson".

In this case the "lesson" is the information in the exhibit. The exhibit designers ask the visitor to participate in the exhibit by watching and listening to a video showing the actual creation of the ceramics they are standing among. The visitor is then encouraged to touch various ceramic pieces so that they can experience the difference between earthenware and stoneware. Including materials that involve the sense of touch is a pleasant surprise in the middle of the exhibit. It helps to reignite the curiosity that originally brought the visitor into the exhibit. In addition to the use of touch and sound the visitor is given a pamphlet that asks them to "find" specific objects and information in the exhibit.
I personally believe in the learning by discovery theory. Thinking about my own learning style I can't help but see how having multiple senses involved in education has helped me remember various information. To experience an exhibit that follows this theory please visit Taking Shape. The exhibit will be available to the public until 2010.

Recognize!

The National Portrait Gallery is hosting the exhibit "Recognize! Hip Hop and Contemporary Portraiture". The exhibit includes large-scale paintings by Kehinde Wiley, photographs by David Scheinaum, self portrait videos by Jefferson Pinder graffiti murals by Tim Conlon and Dave Hupp, an art instillation by Shinique Smith and poetry by Nikki Giovanni.

"Since its inception in the late 1970s, hip hop has become hugely influential in America. While images of hip hop performers are as pervasive in our culture as the music itself, some visual artists have created powerful images that both celebrate and explore the complexity of this creative form. The six artists and one poet whose work is included in RECOGNIZE! have approached hip hop culture through the lens of portraiture, and, in combination, their contributions highlight its vitality and beauty." Official introduction to the exhibit.

Each artist depicts hip hop from their own unique prospectives. After growing up in the 1960's Scheinaum was inspired by the unity of the hip hop community. Wiley wanted to show that hip hop was more than just entertainment, as it has often been represented. Hip hop is a culture, and a valuable part of American heritage. Wiley shows this by painting portraits of hip hop artists in positions that are reminiscent of Renaissance artists.


The exhibit has been in the National Portrait Gallery since February 8, 2008 and will be available to visitors until October 26, 2008.

Museum of Cycladic Art

Located in Athens, Greece the Museum of Cycladic Art is one of, if not the largest single collection of Cycladic artifacts. When planning my trip to Athens it was the third place to see, falling behind the National History Museum and the Acropolis.

The museum was founded in 1968 to house ancient Greek and Cycladic art. During my visit a portion of the Greek exhibit was closed and on tour elsewhere, however the Cycladic exhibit was open. I did have a little scare that I would not be able to see the exhibit because the Museum was keeping odd hours the day I went. It opened at 6pm. This change of hours occurred because the Museum was giving away free books to registered archaeologists; a practice that I fully support. On a side note it was very interesting to see that the majority of the archaeologists were women.

The artifacts at the museum were in excellent condition. The exhibit was well organized and provided you with a very good sense of the values of the people being represented.



Marble Cycladic figurines come from 3,200 to 2,000 bc and are the main type of artifact preserved from this time. The height of these figures varies significantly. Some are a few centimeters high while others are 4 feet tall. The standard figurine would be lying down on their back with their knees bent and arms crossed over the stomach. The majority of figures did not have many individual features, such as eyes or mouth, but they all had a prominent nose and sometimes ears. Their style reminds me of modern sculpture.

Afganistan: Hidden Treasures from the National Museum, Kabul

The Smithsonian National Gallery of Art, in collaboration with the National Geographic Society, is hosting an exhibit from the National Museum of Kabul from May 25 - September 7, 2008. The exhibit is meant to show how northern Afghanistan, Bactria, has developed through time. From its ancient origins over 2,000 years ago as the Oxus Civilization through to Tillya Tepe, the "Hill of Gold". The capital of Bactria, Balkh, was a grand city which Marco Polo describes as:

"a noble city and very large, Formerly it was nobler and larger, it was the most vast and beautiful city in the region... And I tell you that in this city King Alexander the Great took as his wife the daughter of Darius, king of the Persians, according to the people of this city."
--The Description of the World, 1298

Due to it's location Bactria has been influenced by three centers of civilization, India, China and Mesopotamia. This influence can be clearly seen in the artwork produced from the area. The artwork displayed at the Smithsonian range from 2200bc to the second century ad.

The Greeks brought their language and culture into Bactria in the fourth century bc. This is when Alexander the Great and his armies conquered the area. His successor, Seleucius I, founded the Greco-Bactrian city of Ai Khanum, "Lady Moon". The city became the eastern outpost of Greek culture and was able to flourish due to it's location on the Oxus river, a point on established trading routes, including the Silk Road.

Ceremonial Plaque depicting Cybele Ai Khanum, temple with niches), gilded silver, beginning of 3rd century bc.

Mongolian nomads overran Bactria around 145bc. Tillya Tepe became one of the centers for this nomad group. Excavations have shown Tillya Tepe to be a center for burials for the nomadic chieftains. Some pieces found here include:

A golden crown from Tillya Tepe Tomb VI, 1st century ad.

One of a pair of boot buckles depicting a chariot drawn by dragons. Tillya Tepe, Tomb IV, 1st Century ad.

Overall I felt that the exhibit was well organized. The pieces chosen to represent a culture that changed throughout a vast amount of time were well selected. As the visitor I left feeling more informed about an area I had previously had little to no knowledge on, and I wanted to continue to dig for information about the Bactria area.

Decentralization of the Museum in Greece

Greece, like most Mesopotamian countries, is abundant with ancient artifacts. Greece used to display the majority of its artifacts in a central, national archaeological museum in Athens. While this was great for tourists, who could experience all of Greece's history in a "one-stop shop". However, this didn't provide tourists with the complete picture of what Greece had to offer in the Classical period, or today. Viewing a sculpture of Apollo while standing a few feet from the temple it adorned in provides a context that can be easily lost in a museum with hundreds of other sculptures. Recently the Greek government has decided to re-disperse the artifacts to the regions where they originated. This new arrangement has the added benefit of dispersing the profits created through tourism. The regional archaeological museums allow tourists to view artifacts in context and in a time that does not push their attention limits.