The Journal of Art Crime
Issue 26
Fall 2021
Edited by Noah Charney
Published by ARCA Publications
JOURNAL OF ART CRIME
Editor-in-Chief
Noah Charney
Founder, ARCA
Co-Editors-in-Chief
Marc Balcells
Professor at Universitat Oberta de Catalunya
Editorial Board
Lord Colin Renfrew
Professor of Archaeology, University of Cambridge
Petrus van Duyne
Professor of Criminology, University of Tilburg, The Netherlands
Matjaž Jager
Director, Institute of Criminology, Slovenia
Kenneth Polk
Professor of Criminology, University of Melbourne, Australia
David Simon
Professor of Art History, Colby College, US
Erik Nemeth
RAND Group, US
Liisa van Vliet
University of Cambridge, UK
Dick Drent
Director of Security, the Van Gogh Museum, The Netherlands
Dennis Ahern
Director of Security, the Tate Museums, UK
Richard Ellis
Director, ArtResolve and Art Risk Consultant, UK
Col. Giovanni Pastore
Retired, Carabinieri Division for the Protection of Cultural
Heritage, Rome, Italy
Neil Brodie
Professor of Archaeology, University of Oxford, UK
David Gill
Honorary Professor in the Centre for Heritage at the Kent Law
School at the University of Kent, Academic Associate in the Centre
for Heritage and Archaeology at the University of East Anglia
A. J. G. Tijhuis
Attorney, Pontius Lawyers, and NSCR, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Howard Spiegler
Attorney, Herrick, Feinstein LLP, US
Design & Layout
Urška Charney
Head of Design, ARCA
© 2021 Association for Research into Crimes against Art (ARCA)
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ISSN (PDF): 1947-5934
ISSN (Print): 1947-5926
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Letter from the Editor
1
ACADEMIC ARTICLES
The Looting of the Spanish Cultural Heritage
Antonio Roma Valdés
3
The Relevance of the Falsification of Artworks and the Spanish Criminal Justice System
Juan José Periago Morant
13
Art as a Method of Money Laundering: The Malaya Case
Patricia Fernández Lorenzo
29
The Prevention of Criminal Activities in Artistic Transactions
Cristina Guisasola Lerma
41
Towards a New Content for ‘Due Diligence’ in 21st Century Cultural Goods Transactions
Marta Suarez-Mansilla
51
ACADEMIC ARTICLES YOUNG SCHOLARS
Art and Copyright: A Matter of Moral Rights
Serena Sancataldo
59
The Protection of Portable Art from Public Museum Collections
in Florence during World War Two, July 1944 – May 1945
Julia Ranney
67
REGULAR COLUMNS
Lessons from the History of Art Crime
“In Flames”
Noah Charney
81
Context Matters
“Reflections on the Várez Fisa Collection in Madrid”
David W. J. Gill
85
REVIEWS
Mirentxu Corcoy Bidasolo reviews
Tutela de los bienes culturales:
Una visión cosmopolita desde el derecho penal, el derecho internacional y la crimnología.
95
FOREIGN LANGUAGE CONTRIBUTIONS
Expolio del Patrimonio Cultural Español
Antonio Roma Valdés
La Falsificación de Obras de Arte y Sistema de Justicia Penal Español
Juan José Periago Morant
97
107
EXTRAS
Marta Suarez-Mansilla interviews
Montserrat de Pedro Esteban
123
Cristina Guisasola Lerma interviews
Dña. Mónica Redondo Álvarez
127
Cristina Guisasola Lerma interviews
Jose Manuel Rodriguez Uribes
131
Acknowledgements
133
Contributor Biographies
139
David W. J. Gill
Context Matters
“Reflections on the Várez Fisa Collection in Madrid”
Regular Columns
T
The formation of modern collections raises several issues about the sources for objects. Are they derived
from old, and documented, collections? Or have they surfaced in recent years? Can those museums be
sure that they have not acquired material that has been removed from archaeological contexts by illicit
means? How do you conduct appropriate due diligence prior to acquisition?
The significant number of returns from North American public and private collections has been a
reminder of the scale of the problem (Gill 2018). However there have been fewer returns from European
collections though the Ny Carlsberg in Copenhagen has been a significant one with material including
Etruscan architectural terracotta’s (Gill 2016). Other clusters of potentially suspect materials have been
identified in a number of European collections (see also Gill 2019a).
One European collection that has faced scrutiny, though has yet to return any material to Italy, is
the Museo Arqueológico Nacional de España in Madrid (Shaya 2017). In particular, it houses the Várez
Fisa collection that was purchased for 12 m Euros in 1999 (Cabrera Bonet 2003; García 2014). José Luis
Várez Fisa was a businessman and collector (García 2014). The collection contains a significant amount
of South Italian pottery, a category of material that has drawn particular concern about the scale of
looting (Elia 2001). The antiquities collection formed part of a loan exhibition to the Meadows Museum
of Fine Art (Warden 2004; see also Padgett 2005).
Objects from Old Collections
The Várez Fisa collection was largely derived from material acquired from recently appeared material,
though some of the items are known before the implementation of the UNESCO 1970 Convention on
the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural
Property. These ‘older’ items include at least nine pieces, including one going back to an 18th century
collection:
a.
a black-figured amphora attributed to the Affecter that had formed part of the Hearst collection in
California (inv. 1999.99.54: Beazley 1956, 242, 33; Cabrera Bonet 2003, 166–68, no. 54; BAPD
301321),
b.
a white ground lekythos attributed to the workshop of the Bowdoin painter and once part of the
Embirikos collection in London (inv. 1999.99.78: Münzen und Medaillen A.G., Basel, Kunstwerke
der Antike 40, 13 December 1969, lot 82; Cabrera Bonet 2003, no. 235–36, no. 80; BAPD 1434),
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c.
an Attic red-figured column-krater attributed to the Triptolemos painter (inv. 1999.99.89: Beazley
1925, 153, 13; Cabrera Bonet 2003, 266–67, no. 91; BAPD 203804),
d.
an Attic red-figured column-krater (inv. 1999.99.94: Sotheby’s London 12 June 1967, lot 150; Cabrera Bonet 2003, 268–70, no. 92; BAPD 13795),
e.
an Attic red-figured neck amphora attributed to the Pig painter that formed part of the Charles Eyre
(1806–86) collection at Welford Park, Berkshire (inv. 1999.99.86; Cabrera Bonet 2003, 274–76, no.
94; BAPD 29221),
f.
an Attic red-figured column-krater attributed to the Pig painter (inv. 1999.99.90: Beazley 1963, 563,
14bis; Cabrera Bonet 2003, 277–78, no. 95; BAPD 206442),
g.
an Attic red-figured stamnos attributed to the Pan painter (inv. 1999.99.102: Beazley 1925, 101, 15;
Cabrera Bonet 2003, 282–85, no. 97; BAPD 206298),
h.
an Attic red-figured lekythos attributed to the Pan painter (inv. 1999.99.111: Beazley 1963, 557,
119bis; Cabrera Bonet 2003, 292–94, no. 101; BAPD 206363), and
i.
an Attic red-figured pelike attributed to the Meleager painter that had resided in a Spanish private
collection (inv. 1999.99.107: Beazley 1963, 1411, 42; Cabrera Bonet 2003, 341–43, no. 121; BAPD
217960).
The fact that the extended history of some items in the collection can be presented in the official catalogue
suggests that the absence of history in the rest of the collection is likely to be significant.
Objects that Surfaced after 1970
The majority of material where the history of acquisition is noted suggests that the items were added to
the collection after 1970. It has been noted:
The Várez Fisa collection, compiled from the 1970s and 1980s on the antiquities market,
consisted of 188 Egyptian, Iberian, Greek, Etruscan and Roman pieces (Cabrera 2004, 69).
In fact, at least 30 items (approximately 15 percent) were added to the collection in the 1990s. Why
is there a reluctance to acknowledge publicly that acquisitions were made in that decade? Is it because
there was a growing awareness of the nature of the antiquities market?
The acquisition of a collection suggests that the pieces had resided together and been cherished by
the owner over several years. Yet it is clear that some were purchased immediately prior to the sale to
Madrid. At least two pieces were acquired in 1999, the year of the acquisition by Madrid: one amphora,
once in the Hearst collection, was purchased from Royal Athena Galleries (inv. 1999.99.54: Cabrera
Bonet 2003, 166–68, no. 54), and an Attic red-figured bell-krater attributed to the Christie painter that
was sold at Sotheby’s (New York) on 13 June 1999 (lot 64), (inv. 1999.99.100: Cabrera Bonet 2003,
310–11, no. 109). At least six items were acquired for the collection in 1998, and eleven in 1997 (see
table 1). Thus at least 10 percent of the collection was acquired by Várez Fisa in the three years prior to
the acquisition by Madrid.
This phenomenon of adding to a collection just prior to its sale or gift to a museum has been
identified for the private collections of Gilbert Denman, and Barbara and Laurence Fleishman (Shapiro,
Picón, and Scott 1995; True and Hamma 1994; see also Chippindale and Gill 2000). One-fifth of the
Denman collection, 28 pieces, was added in the two years prior to its acquisition by the San Antonio
Museum of Art, and 8 items from the Fleischman collection before its acquisition by the J. Paul Getty
Museum.
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Table 1
Items acquired from the Fárez Visa collection in 1997 and 1998
1997
Regular Columns
60: inv. 1999.99.55. Attic bf amphora, compared to the Antimenes painter. BAPD 20425. Royal Athena
1997. Sale: Eisenberg 1997, no. 88.
69: inv. 1999.99.66. Attic bf hydria, compared to the Antimenes painter. BAPD 20427. Royal Athena
1997. Sale: Eisenberg 1997, no. 93.
94: inv. 1999.99.86. Attic black-figured neck amphora attributed to the Pig painter. BAPD 29221. Christie’s 25 November 1997, lot 229.
95: inv. 1999.99.90. Attic red-figured column-krater, attributed to the Pig painter. BAPD 206442. Charles
Ede (1997), no. 13.
96: inv. 1999.99.105. Attic rf kalpis, attributed to the Pig painter. BAPD 44096. Royal Athena 1997. Sale:
Eisenberg 1997, no. 101.
112: inv. 1999.99.114. Attic white ground lekythos. Christie’s (New York) 30 May 1997, lot 109.
113: inv. 1999.99.83. Attic rf stemless cup. BAPD 44388. New York, market, Robert E. Hecht, Jr.; Royal
Athena (1997). Sale: Eisenberg 1997, no. 107.
117: inv. 1999.99.116. Attic red-figured stemmed pyxis, attributed to the Shuivalov painter. Christie’s
(New York) 30 May 1997, lot 112.
118: inv. 1999.99.115. Attic red-figured pyxis attributed to the manner of the Meidias painter. Christie’s
(New York) 30 May 1997, lot 113.
119: inv. 1999.99.118. Attic red-figured amphoriskos attributed to the circle of the Shuvalov painter.
Christie’s (New York) 30 May 1997, lot 111.
120: inv. 1999.99.119. Attic red-figured chous. Christie’s (New York) 30 May 1997, lot 109.
1998
43: inv. 1999.99.63. Black-figured neck amphora, attributed to the Hyblaea class. Christie’s (London) 8
April 1998, lot 202 (£23,000).
44: inv. 1999.99.43. Boeotian terracotta horse and rider. Christie’s (New York) 5 June 1998, lot 114
($4,600).
75: inv. 1999.99.74. Attic black-figured olpe attributed to the circle of the Andocides painter. Christie’s
(New York) 5 June 1998, lot 124 ($57,500).
89: inv. 1999.99.87. Attic red-figured Panathenaic shaped amphora. BAPD 29377. Royal Athena 1998.
100: inv. 1999.99.108. Attic red-figured lekythos. BAPD 18453. Christie’s 8 April 1998, lot 206
(£12,650).
137: inv. 1999.99.142. Apulian pelike attributed to the painter of the Siren Citharist. Christie’s (New
York) 5 June 1998, lot 233 ($16,100). Formerly Graham Geddes collection.
Sources for the Collection
What were the sources for the collection? It is now recognised that the presence of objects derived from
specific dealers and private collectors could be an indication of potential ‘toxic’ antiquities within a
collection. For example, an Attic red-figured stemless cup was originally in the hands of Robert E. Hecht
Jr. on the New York market (inv. 1999.99.83; Cabrera Bonet 2003, 319–21, no. 113; BAPD 44388). One
of the Attic red-figured cups attributed to the Euergides painter surfaced with Galerie Nefer in Zurich
in 1992 (inv. 1999.99.84: Cabrera Bonet 2003, 248–49, no. 85; BAPD 41408), and was purchased from
Christie’s New York on 30 May 1997 (lot 108). The Galerie Nefer has been associated with a number
of pieces that have had to be returned to Italy (Gill 2020a). Two items, an Attic black-figured amphora
attributed to the Priam painter (inv. 1999.99.53; Cabrera Bonet 2003, 173–76, no. 57; BAPD 20449) and
a Laconian cup attributed to the Hunt painter (inv. 1999.99.45: Cabrera Bonet 2003, 145–46, no. 46;
Warden 2004, 89–90, no. 11), have been identified from the Schinousa archive showing that they had
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passed through the hands of Robin Symes (see also Tsirogiannis 2016). The amphora is reported to have
resided in a private New York collection before it was placed at auction at Sotheby’s on 17 December
1997 (lot 96); not only did the amphora feature in the Schinousa archive, but also in the Medici dossier
suggesting a link between the two dealers.
Concerns about the origins of material in the collection have been raised on several occasions
(Isman 2010; Shaya 2018; Pellegrini 2020). Specifically, some 22 items in the Várez Fisa collection have
been identified from the Medici and Becchina dossiers (Gill 2010). An orientalizing amphora surfaced
through Palladion Antike Kunst (inv. 1999.99.159: Cabrera Bonet 2003, 118–19, no. 35), and has been
recognized from the seized Becchina archive. Palladion Antike Kunst has been recognised as the source
of several returned antiquities.
One of the most toxic associations is with material that surfaced through Sotheby’s in London
specifically in the 1980s and 1990s. The documentation shows the regular consignment of antiquities
to these sales from Giacomo Medici and his associates based in Switzerland (Watson 1997; see also
Gill 1997). The seizure of polaroids in the Geneva freeport led to the return of hundreds of antiquities
to Italy (Watson and Todeschini 2007). At least 19 pieces form the Várez Fisa collection passed through
Sotheby’s in London from 1982 to 1996, and this route is often recognised as the first sighting of the
object.
Table 2
Objects in the Várez Fisa collection that surfaced at Sotheby’s in London during the 1980s and
1990s
1982, 13–14 December
Lot 223: no. 108.
Lot 255: no. 53.
1984, 10–11 December
Lot 364: no. 129.
1985, 22 May
Lot 328: no. 63.
1986, 8 December
Lot 328: no. 105.
1988, 11 July
Lot 91: no. 104.
Lot 108: no. 77.
1988, 12 December
Lot 110: no. 121. [Known from old collection.]
Lot 128: no. 99.
Lot 138: no. 73
Lot 142: no. 72.
1989, 10 July
Lot 259: no. 139.
1989, 11 December
Lot 102: no. 138
1990, 14 December
Lot 296: no. 144.
1991, 3 December
Lot 165: no. 102.
Lot 199: no. 140.
1995, 14 December
Lot 140: no. 107
Lot 143: no. 56
1996, 10 December
Lot 170: no. 52
At least eight of these pieces that passed through Sotheby’s in London in the 1980s and 1990s have
been identified from the Medici photographic archive, some showing the objects in fragments or still
covered in earth suggesting that they had recently been removed from the ground (see Isman 2010;
Pellegrini 2020). Does this suggest that Medici was the source for these objects that were then consigned
to Sotheby’s in London? The Attic column-krater that surfaced in December 1986, was in same sale
as two Apulian pots from the Geddes collection that were withdrawn from the auction at Bonhams
in 2008 (see Gill 2009); a marble statue of an athlete, also later offered by Bonhams, appeared in the
same sale. The Attic black-figured amphora that surfaced at Sotheby’s in May 1989, was in the same
sale as a Campanian bell-krater from the Geddes collection that was withdrawn from the auction at
Bonhams. The Gnathian krater that appeared in the December 1990, appears in the same photograph in
the ‘workshop’ of Fritz Bürki as an Apulian pyxis attributed to the Baltimore painter that was offered for
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sale by the Royal Athena Galleries in in 2010. The nature of these sales suggests that Madrid needs to
open discussions with the Italian authorities.
Table 3
Objects in the Várez Fisa collection that surfaced at Sotheby’s in London during the 1980s and
1990s and identified in the Medici Dossier
Regular Columns
56: Attic bf amphora. Inv. 1999.99.51; Sotheby’s 14 December 1995, lot 143; Cabrera Bonet 2003,
171–72, no. 56. Medici dossier.
63: Attic bf amphora. Inv. 1999/99/59; Sotheby’s 22 May 1989, lot 328; Cabrera Bonet 2003, 190–92,
no. 63; BAPD 44365. Medici dossier. The polaroid in the Medici dossier is dated to 14 November
1988.
99: Attic rf lekythos attributed to the manner of the Berlin painter. Inv. 1999.99.109; Sotheby’s 12 December 1988, lot 128; Christie’s New York 5 June 1998, lot 138; Cabrera Bonet 2003, 288–89,
no. 99; Padgett 2017, 400, no. BNM12; BPAD 9024732. Medici dossier.
103: Attic rf column-krater. Inv. 1999.99.96; Sotheby’s (London) 22 May 1989, lot 348; Christie’s New
York 10 July 1992, lot 340; Royal Athena Galleries January 1995, lot 109; Cabrera Bonet 2003,
297–98, no. 103; BAPD 43915. Medici dossier.
105: Attic rf column-krater. Inv. 1999.99.97; Sotheby’s London 8 December 1986, lot 328; Cabrera
Bonet 2003, 301–02, no. 105; BAPD 16664. Medici dossier.
123: Sicilian calyx-krater 1999.99.147; Sotheby’s 10 December 1996, lot 187; Cabrera Bonet 2003,
346–47, no. 123. Medici dossier.
129: Apulian bell-krater. 1999.99.124; Sotheby’s 10–11 December 1984, lot 364; Cabrera Bonet 2003,
361–64, no. 129. Medici dossier.
144: Gnathian krater. Inv. 1999.99.138; Sotheby’s (London) 14 December 1990, lot 296; 8 December
1994, lot 154; Cabrera Bonet 2003, 406–07, no. 144. Photograph in the Medici dossier showing
the krater being restored by Fritz Bürki.
The toxicity of antiquities that surfaced via Sotheby’s in London has been demonstrated by the issues
with material acquired by Graham Geddes in Melbourne. The Geddes collection attracted attention when
ten lots had to be withdrawn from Bonham’s in London when the collection was offered for sale (Gill
2009; Gill 2019b, 806; Gill 2021). At least four of the pieces in the Várez Fisa collection were derived
from the Graham Geddes collection: two Attic black-figured amphorae, one attributed to the painter of
Vatican 365 (inv. 1999.99.61: Cabrera Bonet 2003, 163–65, no. 53; BAPD 7462), and another attributed
to the manner of the Acheloos painter (inv. 1999.99.56: Cabrera Bonet 2003, 188–89, no. 62; BAPD
351256). The first (no. 53) had surfaced at Sotheby’s (London) 13–14 December 1982 (lot 255) and
was resold by the same auction-house on 8 December 1986 (lot 327). The second (no. 62) had surfaced
through N. Koutoulakis and was known by 1971 (Beazley 1971, 169, 9bis). A Paestan lebes attributed
to Asteas surfaced at Sotheby’s (London) in 21 May 1984 (lot 372) and had been sold at Christie’s (New
York) in December 1997 (inv. 1999.99.146: Cabrera Bonet 2003, 413–14, no.147). Koutoulakis has also
been recognised as a source for recently surfaced antiquities (Gill 2019a). An Apulian pelike attributed
to the Siren Citharist painter had surfaced at Sotheby’s (London) in 9 December 1988 (lot 171) and had
once formed part of the Graham Geddes collection; it had then been sold at Christie’s (New York) 5 June
1998 (lot 233) (inv. 1999.99.142; Trendall and Cambitoglou 1991, 165, 334b1; Cabrera Bonet 2003,
384–86, no.137).
Six pieces surfaced through four sales at Sotheby’s New York between 1996 and 1997. One of them,
an Attic red-figured bell-krater attributed to the Christie painter, is known from images in the Medici
dossier dated to 1995 (inv. 1999.99.100: Cabrera Bonet 2003, 310–11, no. 109; BAPD 20360). This
raises concerns about who consigned the bell-krater to Sotheby’s on 13 June 1996 (lot 64)? This issue
relating to Sotheby’s in New York has been raised by other pieces that surfaced in 1994 and 1995 and
have subsequently had to be returned to Italy (Gill 2018). Who was the vendor for the pieces consigned
to the three sales: 10 December 1996 (lots 112–113: inv. 1999.99.77, 76: Cabrera Bonet 2003, 230–34,
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nos. 78–79; BAPD 20420, 201418); 31 May 1997 (lot 77: inv. 1999.99.85: Cabrera Bonet 2003, 322–25,
no. 114; BAPD 21845); and 17 December 1997 (lot 96: inv. 1999.99.53: Cabrera Bonet 2003, 173–76,
no. 57; BAPD 20449)?
Some of the pieces from the Várez Fisa collection had passed through Christie’s, either in London
or in New York. These include three Apulian pieces that were acquired at Christie’s (New York) in May
1997 (Cabrera Bonet 2003, nos. 136, 143, 146). Several items in the Várez Fisa collection appear to
have been purchased from the Royal Athena Galleries in New York between 1985 and 1998. At least 10
antiquities that were sold by this source have been returned to Italy suggesting that the histories for the
Várez Fisa pieces should be explored (Gill 2018).
Table 4
Objects in the Várez Fisa collection that surfaced at Christie’s London and New York
1992, 10 July:
Lot 340 (no. 103)
1993, 28 April:
Lot 8 (no. 80).
1994, 10 June:
Lot 129 (no. 87).
1995, 5 July:
Lot 174 (no. 59).
1996 14 June, l
Lot 78 (no. 67); lot 82 (no.
1996, 3 July:
Lot 58 (no. 64); lot 64 (no. 84); lot 42 (no. 71; inv. 1999.99.70).
1997, 30 May (NY):
Lot 58 (no. 146), 115 (no. 143), 118 (no. 136).
1997, 25 November 1997:
Lot 229 (no. 94).
1997, 30 May 1997 (NY):
Lot 109 (no. 120), lot 111 (no. 119), lot 110 (no. 112), lot 113 (no. 118), lot 112 (no. 117).
1998, 8 April:
Lot 206 (no. 100).
Table 5
Objects in the Várez Fisa collection that passed through the Royal Athena Galleries, New York
1985
76: Attic bf olpe. Inv. 1999.99.75. BAPD 17011. Royal Athena 1985.
1995
70: Attic bf hydria. Inv. 1999.99.68. BAPD 44149. Royal Athena 1995.
80: Attic white ground Lekythos. Inv. 1999.99.78. BAPD 1434. Münzen und Medaillen 1969); Royal
Athena (1995).
88: Attic Rf amphora. Inv. 1999.99.88. BAPD 44154. Germany, private collection; Sotheby’s 7 July
1994, lot 343; Royal Athena (1995).
103: Attic rf column-krater. Inv. 1999.99.96. BAPD 43915. Royal Athena 1995.
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1997
60: Attic bf Amphora. Inv. 1999.99.55. BAPD 20425. Royal Athena (1997).
69: Attic bf hydria. Inv. 1999.99.66. BAPD 20427. Royal Athena (1997).
96: Attic rf kalpis. Inv. 1999.99.105. BAPD 44096. Royal Athena (1997).
113: Attic rf stemless Cup. Inv. 1999.99.83. BAPD 44388. New York, market, Robert E. Hecht, Jr.;
Royal Athena (1997).
1998
89: Attic rf amphora. Inv. 1999.99.87. BAPD 29377. Royal Athena (1998).
Table 6
Dates of recent first surfacing for objects in the Várez Fisa collection
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Madrid inv. no.
1999.99.159
1999.99.63
1999.99.43
1999.99.45
1999.99.46
1999.99.52
1999.99.61
1999.99.54
1999.99.51
1999.99.53
1999.99.55
1999.99.60
1999.99.56
1999.99.59
1999.99.67
1999.99.66
1999.99.68
1999.99.71
1999.99.72
1999.99.74
1999.99.79
1999.99.77
1999.99.76
1999.99.153
1999.99.84
1999.99.82
1999.99.81
1999.99.88
1999.99.87
BAPD
29025
7462
301321
20449
20425
9024714
351256
44365
7324
20427
44149
41554
20420
20418
41408
7465
20316
44154
29377
First surfacing
Palladion Antike Kunst
Christie’s 1998
Christie’s 1998
[Schinousa archive]
Sotheby’s 1989
Sotheby’s 1988
Sotheby’s 1982
Royal Athena Galleries 1999
Sotheby’s 1995 [Medici dossier]
Sotheby’s New York 1997 [Schinousa archive]
Royal Athena Galleries 1997
[Medici dossier]
Koutoulakis by 1971
Sotheby’s 1989 [Medici dossier]
Christie’s 1980
Royal Athena Galleries 1997
Royal Athena Galleries 1995
Sotheby’s 1988
Sotheby’s 1988
Sotheby’s 1998
Sotheby’s 1988
Sotheby’s 1996
Sotheby’s 1996
Royal Athena Galleries 1995
Zurich, Galerie Nefer 1992
Münzen und Medaillen 1982
Christie’s 1994
Sotheby’s 1994
Royal Athena Galleries 1998
Regular Columns
Cat. no.
35
43
44
46
47
52
53
54
56
57
60
61
62
63
68
69
70
72
73
75
77
78
79
83
85
86
87
88
89
91
94
96
99
100
103
105
109
112
113
117
118
119
120
123
129
137
138
139
140
144
147
149
1999.99.86
1999.99.105
1999.99.109
1999.99.108
1999.99.96
1999.99.97
1999.99.100
1999.99.114
1999.99.83
1999.99.116
1999.99.115
1999.99.118
1999.99.119
1999.99.147
1999.99.124
1999.99.142
1999.99.131
1999.99.132
1999.99.133
1999.99.138
1999.99.146
1999.99.145
29221
44096
9024732
18453
43915
16664
20360
9022229
44388
9022231
9022230
9022228
9022227
Christie’s 1997
Royal Athena Galleries 1997
Sotheby’s 1988 [Medici dossier]
Christie’s 1998
Sotheby’s 1989 [Medici dossier]
Sotheby’s 1986 [Medici dossier]
Sotheby’s New York 1996 [Medici dossier]
Christie’s 1997
New York market, Robert E. Hecht Jr.
Christie’s 1997
Christie’s 1997
Christie’s 1997
Christie’s 1997
Sotheby’s 1996 [Medici dossier]
Sotheby’s 1984 [Medici dossier]
Sotheby’s 1988
Sotheby’s 1989
Sotheby’s 1989
Sotheby’s 1991
Sotheby’s 1990 [Medici dossier]
Sotheby’s 1984
Münzen und Medaillen 1982
Conclusion
It is now over twenty years since Madrid acquired the Várez Fisa collection, and more than ten years since
it became clear that a number of objects had been handled by Giacomo Medici, Gianfanco Becchina,
Robert Hecht, and Robin Symes (Isman 2010; Gill 2010). What progress has been made by the museum to
resolve the dispute with the Italian authorities? Has the museum conducted an appropriate due diligence
investigation? During the intervening period, material that surfaced on the antiquities market through
exactly the same sales and documented in the same photographic archives have either been returned
to Italy or withdrawn from sale. Why have the museum authorities in Madrid been so dilatory in their
response to the reports? Are European Museum professionals more reluctant than their north American
counterparts to take appropriate action?
The Várez Fisa collection highlights, once again, the problems of private individuals forming
collections from material that has surfaced on the market (see Chippindale and Gill 2000; Gill 2018).
Collectors need to undertake a due diligence process to check the histories of the objects that they
seek to acquire. They should seek to contact the authorities that hold the photographic archives seized
in Switzerland and Greece to check that the proposed acquisitions were not featured (see Gill and
Tsirogiannis 2016). Indicators such as previous owners or appearance in certain sales should flag up
potential problems. Academics also need to go beyond identifying the sale origins of objects (e.g. Padgett
2005, 313), and seek to ask searching questions about how that material arrived at the sale room (see also
Gill 2020b), and indeed, how the items left the ground.
Once again, we see a body of material removed from its archaeological context, and therefore
unable to add to the meaningful interpretation of such artefacts.
92
www.artcrimeresearch.org
Acknowledgements
I am grateful to Christos Tsirogiannis for his discussion of this material, and for some of the identifications
made in the seized photographic archives.
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