Getty Gets to Keep Detached Zeyt’un Gospel Pages

M.H. Miller, 'Getty and Armenian Church Settle Ownership Dispute Over 13th-Century Manuscript Pages' 21st September 2015

The J. Paul Getty Museum and the Western Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America have resolved a dispute over the rightful ownership of eight 13th-century manuscript pages, which were separated from the Zeyt’un Gospels and have been in the Getty’s collection since 1994. Under the settlement, according to a release sent out by the museum this afternoon, the Getty has acknowledged that the Armenian Apostolic Church is the rightful owner of the pages. In exchange, the Prelacy has donated the pages to the Getty “in order to ensure their preservation and widespread exhibition.” The Getty originally purchased the pages for $1 million, according to the New York Times.

The church contended they had been illegally separated from the rest of the book amid the Armenian genocide during World War I.

Vignette: Getty Museum


UPDATE 22nd Sept. 2015
And look at the spin being put on it now,  instead of regretting that 'art' (ripped up artefacts) was bought under such circumstances: Julia Halperin, 'Getty becomes first museum to restitute Armenian art removed during genocide' The Art Newspaper 22 September 2015