2025/09/16 by Mario Trabucco della Torretta · 1 voice
Arts and Humanities · Social Sciences · #African history and culture studies #Comparative and World Literature #Postcolonial and Cultural Literary Studies
paper · doi:10.1080/03086534.2025.2559395
openalex publication_date 2025/09/16 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/06/14
The article challenges the assertion that the British Museum's acquisition of the Elgin Marbles was unlawful and unethical, arguing that this interpretation of the event is instead factually incorrect and misleading. Historical evidence, including contemporary accounts and archival documents, demonstrates that Elgin acted with official permission from the Ottoman authorities and disproves claims of bribery or self-interested motives. In particular, the article challenges the notion that Elgin intended the sculptures for his private Scottish mansion, emphasising his stated goal of benefiting the fine arts in Great Britain and preserving the antiquities from destruction. The timeline of Elgin's financial situation is also analysed, demonstrating that his offer to sell the Marbles to the British government predated his later financial difficulties and was not a consequence of a failed private museum enterprise. Finally, the article strongly refutes the characterisation of the acquisition as ‘an imperial act of removal,’ highlighting how Elgin acted in a personal capacity, without state sponsorship, and that the British government's acquisition was an opportunistic intervention rather than a structured imperial strategy. The article concludes by advocating for a resolution to the debate based on an objective and shared understanding of historical truth, rather than divisive anti-imperialist rhetoric.