Telegraph: Osborne’s ‘risky game’ with Parthenon Sculptures

London, Thanasis Gavos

As “risky” characterizes a Daily Telegraph article as the “game” played by the chairman of the British Museum’s trustees George Osborne post Parthenon sculptures.

The editor comments that the Sculptures have become “chess pieces” in the hands of Mr Osborne, who “can’t resist the political games” surrounding Pheidias’ creations.

In this game, the paper adds, the risks are high, but so is the potential reward.

“Osborne has come to the conclusion that doing nothing is not an option”, the newspaper writes, and therefore has started meetings with the Greek prime minister, among others. According to the article, the meetings are an attempt by Mr Osborne to find a “third way” to a deal.

The Telegraph links the British Museum chairman’s moves to the need to find a billion pounds for the Rosetta Project, the upcoming radical renovation of the building that houses the museum in Bloomsbury, London.

On the one hand, the newspaper points out, ignoring the Greek request for the reunification of the Sculptors could alienate potential donors. But the same could happen from the other side, with “culturally conservative” donors who would worry that the repatriation of the Sculptors would trigger a domino of claims from other countries and risk emptying British museums.

However, it is noted that periodic exhibitions of other Greek antiquities at the British Museum in return for the return of the Parthenon Sculptures would strengthen the coffers of the London institution.

“Osborne’s solution,” the article continues, “is to propose a partial loan of the Sculptures to Athens, in exchange for a reciprocating loan of some of its own treasures, such as ancient ceramics.”

As it is added, one scenario is to return 1/4 of the Sculptures from London to Athens for a certain period of time, perhaps five years and then return to the British Museum. Then a different quarter of the Sculptors would start the same journey and so on.

The newspaper notes, however, that this rotating loan he describes has been made clear by Mr. Mitsotakis and the Minister of State Giorgos Gerapetritis that it does not constitute an acceptable starting point for discussion, as the Greek side has always demanded the reunification of all the Glyptos.

However, according to the British newspaper, “there are some signs of movement in the Greek position, which makes the agreement a real possibility”, with the editor’s estimate being that the Greek prime minister would accept the issue of ownership being discussed completely separately from the issue of where are the Sculptures. At this point this article refers to an earlier publication with statements by a representative of the British Museum about “constructive talks” with a view to a “parthenon partnership”.

As it continues, although the proposal for a rotating loan of a quarter of the Sculptures will not be accepted by the Greeks, “there is hope that they may agree to possibly take half of the Sculptures at a time”, with a separation of the relief of the frieze from the statues of the pediments.

The publication also states that there is much debate in the British museum world about the seriousness of George Osborne’s intentions, with some suggesting he has made a proposal he knows will be rejected, only to then say “I did my best”. This cynical view, the newspaper comments, is justified by his background as Minister of Finance.

But those who know him well, the article continues, insist that his offer of a solution is genuine and that he believes that negotiations with Athens will eventually bear fruit.

The Telegraph even adds that in this negotiation Mr. Osborne has the tacit support of the British government, despite public statements to the contrary.

In her statements to the newspaper, one of the commissioners of the administration of the British Museum Professor Mary Bird comments that “requests to restore exhibits should not be seen as nuisances, but as opportunities to reshape the museum’s relationship with other interest groups and other parts of the world”.

Ms Bird, however, takes a middle ground between those who say there is a risk of emptying British museums of exhibits and those who want every object returned to its country of origin. “Every case is different,” says the well-known British classics professor.

The article closes with the observation that if Kyriakos Mitsotakis is re-elected will intensify his efforts for the repatriation of the Sculptors. Citing sources from both sides, however, the Telegraph comments that it is most likely that “years rather than months” will be required for such an agreement.

It is noted, finally, that with a change to the 1963 law that prohibits the removal of objects from the British Museum’s collection being blocked by Prime Minister Sunak, the language used would be decisive for any future agreement. “Expect words like ‘loan’ to disappear and a lot of talk about ‘partnership’.”

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