Extensive Vandalism Discovered in British Museum, Raising Concerns of Potential Scrap Sales
Numerous artifacts in the British Museum have been vandalized, likely resulting in the theft and sale of valuable components, as uncovered by a recent review
An investigation has uncovered that numerous items in the British Museum have been defaced and potentially sold for scrap, including valuable pieces such as jewelry and gems dating back to ancient times. The museum, home to iconic treasures like the Rosetta Stone, confirmed in August that an employee had been fired in connection with the theft of these historic artifacts from a storage room.
An independent investigation into the disappearance of the items has determined that a considerable amount may be lost forever, as some parts may have been sold for scrap. The museum officially released the findings of the review on Tuesday, outlining the timeline of the crisis, which has been a major source of embarrassment for the institution.
Displayed in Paris, France, on September 24, 2019, is a section of the painting "Christ Mocked" by Cimabue, a renowned Florentine Renaissance artist from the late 13th century. The masterpiece was recently discovered hanging in the kitchen of an elderly woman in the town of Compiegne. REUTERS/Charles Platiau
Charles Platiau/Reuters
Long-lost $26 million masterpiece found in kitchen heads to the Louvre after 4-year campaign
Approximately 2,000 items have been impacted, with about 75% either missing or stolen. The primary focus of the thefts seems to be on "unregistered items, mainly gems and jewelry" in the Greece and Rome department.
The museum believes that in addition to the missing items, approximately 140 others have been damaged with tool marks, and around 350 have had parts removed, such as gold mounts for gems. "We believe that most of the portions removed from the 350 are likely to be unrecoverable as they have probably been sold for scrap," the museum stated.
Out of the 1,500 missing or stolen items, only 351 have been recovered by the museum. The crisis began in 2021 when a Danish art dealer alerted the museum to items from its collection being sold online. Initially, the museum claimed to have conducted a thorough investigation, but subsequent probes revealed that the initial response was inadequate, stated British Museum Chair George Osborne when the news was first reported in August of this year.
The museums then-director, Hartwig Fischer, stepped down over the affair.
The Old Master & 19th Century Art department at Artcurial and the Cabinet Turquin will be showcasing a masterpiece by Jean Siméon Chardin, titled "Basket of Wild Strawberries" on March 23, 2022. Chardin was known for his numerous still life paintings, often featuring silver goblets, teapots, hares, plums, melons, and peaches. This particular artwork stands out as the only one by the artist to prominently feature strawberries as its main subject.
The Basket of Wild Strawberries
Oil on canvas
Signed 'Chardin' lower left
38 x 46 cm
Artcurial
A Texas museum acquired this masterpiece for $26M. But the Louvre wants to keep it in France
The museum's board of trustees unanimously accepted the recommendations of the reviews, particularly the need to fully document the collection and address any registration gaps. The museum has already begun a program to document and digitize the entire collection over the next five years.
Former UK Chancellor of the Exchequer, Osborne, commented that the British Museum is taking steps to address the thefts that occurred over a long period. He expressed regret for allowing the thefts to happen and stated that they have accepted the recommendations and are in the process of recovering the stolen items. However, the full report cannot be published at this time due to an ongoing police investigation.
