The Lysippus Athlete must return to Italy: the Supreme Court ruled, rejecting the Getty Museum's appeal

by Redazione , published on 04/12/2018
Categories: News / Disclaimer
The Supreme Court has rejected the Getty Museum's appeal against the seizure of the Lysippus Athlete: the sculpture must return to Italy.

Another chapter is added today to the long-running affair of theLysippus Athlete, also known as the Athlete of Fano, the fourth-century B.C.E. bronze sculpture attributed to the Greek artist Lysippus that was fished off the coast of Fano in 1964 and illegally sold to the Getty Museum in Los Angeles. Last June, the Pesaro gip had ordered the sculpture’s seizure, but the Getty, a few days later, appealed the Pesaro court’s decision to the Supreme Court.

Today came the verdict of the supreme court: the appeal by the Getty’s lawyers was rejected in its entirety, so the final word from the Italian justice system is that the Lisippo Athlete must return to Italy. The Cassation thus makes final the immediately enforceable confiscation of the sculpture ordered in June by the gip of Pesaro: the international rogatory is currently being prepared that should bring the work back to Italy (but the procedure will not be easy). For the Getty Museum, however, the last word is not said: an appeal to the European court is always possible.

Minister Bonisoli, meanwhile, expressed his satisfaction: “I am truly happy,” he said, “that this judicial process has finally been closed and our country’s right to recover a very important testimony of our heritage has been recognized. This news reminds us of the importance of heritage for the identity of communities and territories. We hope that the statue will soon return to be admired in our museums and that the U.S. authorities will act quickly to facilitate its return.”

The Lysippus Athlete must return to Italy: the Supreme Court ruled, rejecting the Getty Museum's appeal
The Lysippus Athlete must return to Italy: the Supreme Court ruled, rejecting the Getty Museum's appeal


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