Today, we're joined by the fabulous Amanda Matta, host of the Art of History podcast, to talk about theft and New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art. On the one hand, the Met has acquired a good chunk of its collection by dubious means, including the purchase of looted objects. On the other hand, the museum itself has become the target of thieves, leading to some of New York's most astounding art heists. Show notes below.
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Above: The Celestial Dancer. Created in the mid-eleventh century, this life-sized sculpture represents a celebrant dancing in honor of an unspecified Hindu god.
SHOW NOTES
The Temple of Dendur, an Egyptian structure dedicated to the goddess, Isis. The shrine was acquired by Met director Thomas Hoving and has been on display since 1978. Hoving is often credited with turning the Met into a truly world-class cultural institution.
In 1897, British soldiers looted this bronze sculpture, along with others, from the Kingdom of Benin, located in what is now Nigeria. In 2019, the Met announced plans to return two of the Benin Bronzes in its collection to their place of origin.
When Kim Kardashian had this picture taken at the Met gala in 2018, she inadvertently drew attention to the fact that the Egyptian sarcophagus beside her had been looted.
The British Museum holds a series of sculptures known as the Elgin Marbles, originally stolen from Greece. This scene depicts a centaur and a lapith in battle.
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