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The NCW Arts Committee held a
Seminar on Challenges to our National Arts Collections and
the Return of Looted Art on 21 February 2008.
The Chairman welcomed three excellent speakers:
Maurice Davies, Deputy Director of the Museums
Association, Leigh Spiers, Director of the Art Fund and Anne
Webber, Co-Chairman of the Commission for Looted Art in
Europe to the seminar.
A large number of NCW members and guests attended the seminar at
the Charity Centre, London, and were
entertained and informed by amusing and enthusiastic talks from
Mr Davies and Ms Spiers, followed by lively question and answer
sessions. Details on
the work of their organisations were informative and Mr Davies
used slides to illustrate works of art saved for the nation.
It was interesting to hear about how art has been
obtained over the years by the great institutions and the way
both the Museums Association and the Art Fund have been of great
benefit to the nation.
We were also told how the Export Licence system works,
or, in some cases, does not work, and that archives are not
covered in the way art can be saved for the nation.
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Anne Webber`s contribution was thorough, educational and
gave much food for thought about looted art and many
questions followed her talk.
Ms Webber gave everyone so much to consider when
she explained how the Nazis took thousands of great
works of art, including paintings and books, and despite
the Restitution Laws after World War II, so many
families have been unable to get back their rightful
property.
Many countries agreed to do something, but often nothing
happened and many national galleries and museums know
that looted art still hang on their walls or are hidden
in their vaults. There are around 600,000 items known to
be looted around the world.
Ms Webber explained how the Russian Government
was fearful that the heirs to the original owners of art
works in the recent From Russia exhibition at the Royal
Academy would try to claim back the items and only
agreed to allow the exhibition to go ahead when the
British Government brought forward legislation, the
Immunity to Seizure law. There were approximately 40
items of looted art in that exhibition.
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