British museums and looted treasures | Letters

The V&A should acknowledge the circumstances in which its Ethiopian artefacts were acquired by returning them unconditionally, says Douglas Currie

I am writing to take issue with the views of the V&A director, Tristram Hunt, as quoted by Mark Brown in his article concerning Ethiopian artefacts held by the museum (Ethiopian treasures could be on their way home after V&A offers long-term loan, 4 April).

Among the reasons given by Mr Hunt for not allowing a “simple return” of items to their countries of origin is what he calls the “philosophical case for cosmopolitanism in museum collections”. I take this to mean that museums should play a role in promoting other cultures.

This argument would be valid if it worked both ways. I would be curious to know how many African museums hold British artefacts acquired against the wishes of their original owners.

He then implies that an obstacle to returning items is the opposition of the British public. I am curious to know the basis for this assertion. My sense is that most people are indifferent to the idea of returning items, though when asked would be likely to see the justice of the case.

My third point of contention is his proposal that development aid money should be diverted to support for conservation in the countries of origin. This strikes me as doubly penalising those countries, having first plundered their treasures, then taking aid away from its proper use as a condition for returning what is rightfully theirs.

Would it not be better to acknowledge the circumstances in which the artefacts were acquired by returning them unconditionally, while at the same time making financial reparations for the damage done? This might be followed by reciprocal arrangements for two-way long-term loans, leading to genuine cosmopolitanism. Does that seem unreasonable?
Douglas Currie
Edinburgh

• Join the debate – email guardian.letters@theguardian.com

• Read more Guardian letters – click here to visit gu.com/letters

Letters

The GuardianTramp

Related Content

Article image
Looted Ethiopian treasures in UK could be returned on loan
Victoria and Albert Museum director says artefacts could be sent to Africa on long-term loan

Mark Brown

03, Apr, 2018 @5:18 PM

Article image
Plan to show treasures in Ethiopia is under way – V&A boss Tristram Hunt
Artefacts brought to UK by Victorian soldiers set to go on display in Addis Ababa

Vanessa Thorpe

30, Jun, 2019 @8:00 AM

Article image
Should museums return their colonial artefacts? | Tristram Hunt
Europe’s museums serve a nuanced purpose and shouldn’t automatically bow to calls to return artworks plundered by 19th-century colonisers, writes V&A director Tristram Hunt

Tristram Hunt

29, Jun, 2019 @1:00 PM

Article image
Returning artefacts of empire isn’t so simple | Letters
Letters: Michael Liversidge and Dr Jharna Gourlay respond to David Olusoga’s suggestion that British museums should send back thousands of objects taken from former colonies

Letters

29, May, 2018 @5:23 PM

Article image
Museums should take their art on the road | Letters
Letters: The whole country should have access to prestigious collections based in London, says David Kennedy, while Pete James and Peter and Christine Nias remember mobile museums in South Yorkshire and Namibia respectively

01, Mar, 2023 @5:26 PM

Article image
The Guardian view on the Benin bronzes: leading the way home | Editorial
Editorial: The swelling international tide in favour of returning looted artefacts cannot be ignored by Britain’s national museums

Editorial

08, Jan, 2023 @6:25 PM

Article image
London’s museums don’t hoard their treasures like Smaug | Letters
Letters: Vastly more people see British Museum objects around the world than in London, points out its chairman Richard Lambert, as other readers defend the curating policies of national institutions such as Tate

Letters

22, Aug, 2018 @3:40 PM

Article image
The Ethiopian treasures in the V&A may have to return home | Martin Kettle
The Maqdala artefacts were seized in an imperial war that wasn’t about plunder or annexation. Still, they may not be in the right place, says Guardian columnist Martin Kettle

Martin Kettle

09, Apr, 2018 @3:15 PM

Article image
V&A in talks over returning looted Ethiopian treasures in 'decolonisation' purge
Deputy director says museums must start telling a more honest story about provenance

Lucy Campbell

07, Oct, 2020 @6:41 PM

Article image
The bigger picture: should British museums sell to stay afloat?
As galleries auction off treasures to retain staff and plug cash gaps left by Covid, the art world is divided on ethics of disposal

Vanessa Thorpe Arts and media correspondent

15, Nov, 2020 @9:15 AM