ITALIAN JUDGE ORDERS SEIZURE OF GETTY MUSEUM STATUE

AN ITALIAN JUDGE RECENTLY ORDERED THE SEIZURE OF AN ANCIENT GREEK STATUE FROM THE RENOWNED J PAUL GETTY MUSEUM, THE LATEST ROUND IN A LENGTHY LEGAL DISPUTE OVER A COLLECTION OF ARTWORKS ITALY SAYS WERE LOOTED FROM ITS TERRITORY OVER THE PAST SEVERAL DECADES. THE LOS ANGELES-BASED MUSEUM, WHICH PURCHASED THE BRONZE STATUE FOR $3.9 MILLION IN 1977 FROM A PRIVATE COLLECTOR, SAID IT WOULD APPEAL TO ITALY'S TOP COURT AGAINST THE RULING. PROSECUTORS IN THE ITALIAN CITY OF PESARO ARGUED THAT THE HIGHLY PRIZED SCULPTURE, WHICH DEPICTS AN ATHLETE CROWNED WITH AN OLIVE WREATH, WAS ILLEGALLY SMUGGLED OUT OF ITALY AND THE MUSEUM DID NOT CARRY OUT PROPER CHECKS BEFORE BUYING IT. PESARO JUDGE LORENA MUSSONI ORDERED THAT THE STATUE, CALLED THE 'STATUE OF A VICTORIOUS YOUTH', 'BE SEIZED FROM THE GETTY MUSEUM OR WHEREVER IT MAY BE AT THE MOMENT.' IN A STATEMENT, THE J PAUL GETTY TRUST, ONE OF THE RICHEST AMERICAN ART INSTITUTIONS SAID IT WOULD 'VIGOROUSLY DEFEND IT LEGAL OWNERSHIP OF THE STATUE.' IT SAID THE SAME COURT IN PESARO HAD DISMISSED AN EARLIER CASE IN 2007 OVER WHETHER THE STATUE BELONGED TO ITALY, RULING THAT THE STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS HAD LONG EXPIRED, THAT THERE WAS NO ONE TO PROSECUTE UNDER ITALIAN LAW, AND THAT THE GETTY WAS TO BE CONSIDERED 'A GOOD FAITH OWNER'.
'WITH TODAY'S DECISION, THE GETTY MUSEUM WILL HAVE TO RETURN THIS STATUE OF INCOMPARABLE BEAUTY TO ITALY', A SPOKESPERSON SAID. THE ALMOST LIFE-SIZE STATUE WAS DISCOVERED IN 1964 BY A FISHING TRAWLER FROM FANO, A SMALL SEASIDE TOWN NEAR PESARO ON THE ADRIATIC COAST. IT WAS ORIGINALLY THOUGHT TO BE THE WORK OF LYSIPPOS, A GREEK SCULPTOR OF THE 4th CENTURY BC, THOUGH MORE RECENT STUDIES DATE IT TO THE 2nd OR 3rd CENTURY BC. IT IS BELIEVED TO HAVE BEEN LOST AT SEA AFTER BEING LOOTED BY ROMANS. THE GETTY MUSEUM SAYS IT BOUGHT THE STATUE THROUGH LEGAL CHANNELS AND WITH CLEAR TITLE. IT ALSO SAYS THE ART WORK WAS NETTED IN INTERNATIONAL WATERS. ITALY DISPUTES THAT THEORY. AFTER THE STATUE WAS FOUND BY THE FANO FISHERMEN, IT WAS BURIED IN A CABBAGE PATCH AND LATER HIDDEN BY A PRIEST. ACCORDING TO THE LAWSUIT, IT LEFT ITALY IN A SHIPMENT OF MEDICAL SUPPLIES SENT TO A MISSIONARY IN BRAZIL, BEFORE BEING BOUGHT BY AN ART CONSORTIUM IN 1971 WHICH LATER SOLD IT TO THE GETTY MUSEUM.