German Museum Returns Two Greek Antiquities

The Baden State Museum in Karlsruhe, Germany, has returned two pieces of ancient Cycladic art to Greece after intense pressure and the museum director’s initial negative response. The two objects are 'the figurine of a woman with a height of 88cm and a copper utensil which resembles a frying pan'. They will now go on display at the Greek National Archaeological Museum. The museum had acquired them after 1975.

The Greek Culture Ministry submitted an official request for the return of the two antiquities, which was initially rejected. The Director of Baden Museum, Harald Siebenmorgen, did not hesitate to accuse the Greek Ministry of Culture of blackmail and said that Greece did not have a legal claim on the artifacts. His efforts, however, were unsuccessful 

The Karlsruhe piece also has an unknown provenance and collecting history. David Gill points out that the figure, of  'Spedos Type', is one of three objects attributed to the so-called Karlsruhe/Woodner Sculptor. The other two figures attributed to this sculptor do not come from secure archaeological contexts. Are all three modern fakes?

'German Museum Returns Two Greek Antiquities', Greek Reporter 6th June 2014.