Italy Halts Art Loans to Minneapolis Amid Dispute Over Ancient Marble
Italy has blocked art loans to a Minneapolis museum due to a dispute over an ancient marble statue believed to have been looted near Pompeii. The statue, a Roman copy of a lost bronze by Greek sculptor Polykleitos, was allegedly smuggled to Switzerland in the 1970s before being acquired by the Minneapolis Institute of Art in 1986. Italy claims the statue was looted, while the museum argues it was found in international waters. In response, Italy has ordered state museums not to collaborate with the Minneapolis museum. Italy hopes to add the statue to a museum in Castellammare di Stabia and has attempted diplomatic exchanges with the museum, similar to other countries resolving art disputes. This is not the first time Italy has embargoed US museums, having limited relations with the Getty Villa Museum over the return of the Victorious Youth statue.
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Elara Voss, graduated from the Royal College of Art in London with a Master’s in Fine Art. She specializes in contemporary sculpture and installation art, exploring themes of nature and human interaction. Elara’s works have been featured in several group exhibitions across Europe, and she is currently working on her first solo show.