Italy Bans Loans to Minneapolis Institute of Art Over Dispute on Ancient Marble Statue

Following a conflict with the U.S. museum over an ancient marble statue believed to have been looted from Italy almost fifty years ago, Italy’s Culture Ministry has enforced a prohibition on lending works to the Minneapolis Institute of Art. The dispute initiated in March 2022 when an Italian court declared that the Minneapolis museum was irregularly in possession of the Stabiae Doriforo, a Roman-era replica of The Doryphoros of Polykleitos, an ancient Greek sculpture.

History of the Dispute

Italy claims that the sculpture was looted in the 1970s from an archaeological site at Stabiae, an ancient city near Pompeii that was also engulfed by lava and ashes during the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in A.D. 79. In 1984, while the work was exhibited in a German museum, Italy initiated a legal proceeding to assert its ownership. The claim was rejected in 1986. The U.S. museum acquired the statue in 1986 for $2.5 million, stating that it was purchased from art dealer Elie Borowski and brought into the United States.

International Warrant and Response

In February 2022, Italian prosecutors issued an international warrant for the artwork to be seized and repatriated. At a news conference earlier this year, Nunzio Fragliasso, chief prosecutor at the Torre Annunziata court, mentioned that they were “still awaiting a response”.

The Museum's Stance

The Minneapolis museum defended its position by stating that the artwork has been publicly showcased and extensively documented since its acquisition. It asserted that it has consistently acted “responsibly and proactively” with regard to claims associated with its collection. The museum declared that Italy’s new ban on loans is “contrary to decades of exchanges between museums,” and expressed disagreement with recent media reports concerning the Doryphoros, emphasizing that the media is not the appropriate avenue to address unproven allegations.