Lord Elgin's Great Bed

[Chris Newman]

The Great Bed of Ware, mentioned in Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, is no longer in the Victoria and Albert Museum where for years it has snuggled close to Constable's depiction of Salisbury Cathedral. It has been returned to its Hertfordshire origins, which to me makes a lot of sense, and for which I offer my gratitude to the wisdom of the V & A. Which brings me to another far greater conundrum in the realm of museums and their plunder. I believe that Lord Elgin's "gift" to the British Museum, the Elgin Marbles, should be returned to Athens. I would quite happily view well-made moulded copies in London (akin to the reproduction room at the V & A with its "Michaelangelo David", "Ghiberti Doors" and "tombs of Richard the Lionheart and Eleanor of Aquitaine from Fontevraud".

Of course, it opens the can of worms, where do we stop?

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

I believe that Lord Elgin's "gift" to the British Museum, the Elgin Marbles, should be returned to Athens. I would quite happily view well-made moulded copies in London (akin to the reproduction room at the V & A with its "Michaelangelo David", "Ghiberti Doors" and "tombs of Richard the Lionheart and Eleanor of Aquitaine from Fontevraud".

[vinteuil]

My 'solution' has not won much support. It is - that the British Government should sell - or donate - the Marbles back to the Administration from which Lord Elgin acquired them. To wit, the successors to the Ottomans, in Ankara. The Turks. But my Greek friends don't think this is a very clever idea...

[MrGongGong]

My 'solution' has not won much support. It is - that the British Government should sell - or donate - the Marbles back to the Administration from which Lord Elgin acquired them. To wit, the successors to the Ottomans, in Ankara. The Turks. But my Greek friends don't think this is a very clever idea...

Surely handling stolen goods is an offence ?

[Chris Newman]

Surely handling stolen goods is an offence ?

Beat me to it!!

[vinteuil]

Surely handling stolen goods is an offence ?

ah, Mr Gongs - if we are to begin to define what is stolen - where shall we end?

Didn't Pierre-Joseph Proudhon have something to say on this?

[MrGongGong]

ah, Mr Gongs - if we are to begin to define what is stolen - where shall we end?

Didn't Pierre-Joseph Proudhon have something to say on this?

I hear the estate of Puccini are after a certain ALW

[french frank]

The Great Bed is only on exhibition there for a year. It still belongs to the V & A.

[Chris Newman]

The Great Bed is only on exhibition there for a year. It still belongs to the V & A.

Hey ho! Perhaps I did not read far enough down the BBC News article. I should have noted the last line:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-17221436

Still, I believe the Elgin Marbles should be returned.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Hey ho! Perhaps I did not read far enough down the BBC News article. I should have noted the last line

That's what comes of rushing into things, Chris.









You should've slept on it.

[amateur51]

That's what comes of rushing into things, Chris.









You should've slept on it.

Shocking, fhg!