The Elgin Marbles
The Elgin Marbles / Parthenon Sculptures
I read two articles on the internet that provided some very interesting points in regards to the “Elgin Marble” which are better known as the “Parthenon Marbles.” Between 1801 – 1805, Thomas Bruce, Seventh Lord Elgin, procured the marble art and took them to Britain. Lord Elgin’s original intentions were to obtain some sketches and plaster casts made of the great sculptures and reliefs on the Parthenon and other nearby ruins. At the time Greece was under Ottoman rule. When Lord Elgin obtained his permit for his request, he was given access to take whatever he desired. It was further ordered that Lord Elgin and his agents were not to be hindered from taking away any pieces of stone with inscriptions and figures. This is equivalent to today’s political give and take. For many years, the Ottomans were thankful to Britain for assisting with the Napoleon. Eventually, Greece won their independence from Ottoman rule in 1829 and called for the immediate return of the sculptures. Now, back to Lord Elgin: with his all-inclusive permit in hand; he and his little party began to take some of the most renowned symbols of the golden age of classical Greeks. Lord Elgin had allowed greed to manipulate his original mission. He took advantage of the situation to such a degree; many British people thought Elgin had committed acts of cultural vandalism. In 1816, he was forced to sell the sculptures to the British Government to alleviate a great debt. Prior to the transaction between Elgin and Britain, a Parliamentary committee was selected to debate the legality of Elgin’s ownership. The British government decided to purchase the sculptures from Lord Elgin at half his investment and exclaimed they would be better cared for by their museum than returning back to Greece. My view on the proper location of the “Parthenon Marbles” is that of Greece. From the very beginning, the removal of the marble sculptures have had a
I read two articles on the internet that provided some very interesting points in regards to the “Elgin Marble” which are better known as the “Parthenon Marbles.” Between 1801 – 1805, Thomas Bruce, Seventh Lord Elgin, procured the marble art and took them to Britain. Lord Elgin’s original intentions were to obtain some sketches and plaster casts made of the great sculptures and reliefs on the Parthenon and other nearby ruins. At the time Greece was under Ottoman rule. When Lord Elgin obtained his permit for his request, he was given access to take whatever he desired. It was further ordered that Lord Elgin and his agents were not to be hindered from taking away any pieces of stone with inscriptions and figures. This is equivalent to today’s political give and take. For many years, the Ottomans were thankful to Britain for assisting with the Napoleon. Eventually, Greece won their independence from Ottoman rule in 1829 and called for the immediate return of the sculptures. Now, back to Lord Elgin: with his all-inclusive permit in hand; he and his little party began to take some of the most renowned symbols of the golden age of classical Greeks. Lord Elgin had allowed greed to manipulate his original mission. He took advantage of the situation to such a degree; many British people thought Elgin had committed acts of cultural vandalism. In 1816, he was forced to sell the sculptures to the British Government to alleviate a great debt. Prior to the transaction between Elgin and Britain, a Parliamentary committee was selected to debate the legality of Elgin’s ownership. The British government decided to purchase the sculptures from Lord Elgin at half his investment and exclaimed they would be better cared for by their museum than returning back to Greece. My view on the proper location of the “Parthenon Marbles” is that of Greece. From the very beginning, the removal of the marble sculptures have had a