Culture crime news: 17–23 Mar 2014

News

Hot this week: Stolen and looted paintings. Pissaro, Matisse, Rembrandt, and Van Gogh

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General

Filling the colonial mind: Napoleon and the looting of the Orient
20 March 2014, The National

The New Stolen-Art Tracker Opens Its Doors
18 March 2014, Real Clear Arts

Africa

Gambia to stop using English language very soon says: President Yayah Jammeh (Says that after the looting of cultural objects, this is all that the British left in Gambia)
17 March 2014, Sierra Express Media

Egypt’s Heritage Plundered Anew
20 March 2014, New York Times

George Clooney and the return of Africa’s stolen artefacts
22 March 2014, The New Times

East and South Asia

Two Panchaloha Idols found in well (India, suspected stolen from a Tamil Nadu temple)
17 March 2014, New India Express

Idol talk? Kapoor loot was huge, sold across world
17 March 2014, The Times of India

1,500-year-old tomb in Mongolia (China) saved from looters
14 March 2014, The History Blog

Chinese Collectors Secure ‘Min’ Fanglei at Christie’s, Auction Cancelled, Sale Price Exceeds $20 million
19 March 2014, ArtNet news

Christie’s CEO Was “Panicked” Over Chinese Buyer Default, Leading to Private Sale of Ancient Bronze
21 March 2014, ArtNet News

Private buyers from Hunan recover ancient bronze vessel, the Min Fanglei
22 March 2014, South China Morning Post

Oceania

The National Gallery of Australia dances into trouble with Shiva
18 March 2014, The Sydney Morning Herald

National Gallery Director Steps Down As Cloud Remains Over $5M Indian Sculpture
21 March 2014, Business Insider Australia

Shiva swap involves National Gallery of Australia in international art looting case
21 March 2014, The Sydney Morning Herald

Australia urged to ratify UN convention of underwater cultural heritage to protect endangered war wrecks
21 March 2014, 7 News

West Asia

Turkey turns blind eye to plunder, says Syria
17 March 2014, The Art Newspaper

Who will save Yemen’s heritage?
17 March 2014, The Art newspaper

Whereabouts and future of Gaza Apollo still unclear
21 March 2014, Haaretz

Americas

Officials keeping people away from new Wanapum shoreline (USA; Because they fear looting of newly-exposed archaeological sites)
17 March 2014, KIMA TV

US museum ready to return stolen Ganesha
18 March 2014, Times of India

Lawmakers to question University of Oklahoma on Pissarro work French family says Nazis stole
19 March 2014, The Republic

Van Gogh Painting Stolen In Russian Revolution Won’t Go Back To Original Owners (USA)
21 March 2014, Inquisitr

More than 8000 pieces of Cultural Heritage returned to Peru since 2007
20 March 2014, Andina

Europe

Gustav Klimt theft case reopens in Italy 17 years on
16 March 2014, The Guardian

Swiss return stolen artefacts to Italy
19 March 2014, The Art Newspaper

Wooing the Public to Recover Art
18 March 2014, The New York Times

Thieves steal section of fresco from Pompeii
19 March 2014, MidDay

Pompeii Made It Through a Volcano, but Can It Survive Vandals?
22 March 2014, The Daily Beast

Britain urged to sign up to shipwreck treaty to protect underwater heritage
23 March 2014, The Guardian

Norwegian museum agrees to return looted Matisse
21 March 2014, The Associated Press

In other news

Hobby Lobby’s Steve Green stands on faith against Obamacare mandate (Antiquities collector. This is HORRIBLE.)
17 March 2014, Washington Post

2 Utah men plead guilty, avoid jail for ruining ancient rock formation
19 March 2014, Las Vegas Review Journal

After T-Rex Troubles, Dinosaurs Stay on the Rez (Fossils on Native American land, USA
21 March 2014, Indian Country Today