The Emperor's Daughter
Object or Group Name
The Emperor's Daughter
Case Summary
In September 2023, US authorities seized a bronze Roman sculpture of an Emperor's daughter from the Worcester Museum of Art in Massachusetts based upon evidence it had been looted from the ancient Roman site of Bubon in modern Türkiye.
The bronze was looted in Bubon at sometime in 1966 or 1967 and was acquired by American antiquities trafficker Robert Hecht, who sold to the Worcester Art Museum in October 1966. It remained there until seizure and repatriation to Türkiye in 2023.
Worcester Museum director Matthias Waschek stated in response that "The ethical standards applicable to museums are much changed since the 1960s."
The Worcester seizure was one of several Bubon bronzes in US collections that were identified as looted and returned to Türkiye by the Manhattan DA's office.
The bronze was looted in Bubon at sometime in 1966 or 1967 and was acquired by American antiquities trafficker Robert Hecht, who sold to the Worcester Art Museum in October 1966. It remained there until seizure and repatriation to Türkiye in 2023.
Worcester Museum director Matthias Waschek stated in response that "The ethical standards applicable to museums are much changed since the 1960s."
The Worcester seizure was one of several Bubon bronzes in US collections that were identified as looted and returned to Türkiye by the Manhattan DA's office.
See Also
Number of Objects
1
Object Type
Sculpture – statues, carvings, bronzes, reliefs, figurines
Culture
Roman
Museum Name
Worcester Art Museum
Museum Accession Number
1966.67
Receiving Country
Türkiye
Sources
Worcester Art Museum. Portrait of a Lady (A Daughter of Marcus Aurelius?)
https://web.archive.org/web/20220921023217/https://worcester.emuseum.com/objects/9371/portrait-of-a-lady-a-daughter-of-marcus-aurelius
When Will Museums Tell the Whole Truth About Their Antiquities?
https://hyperallergic.com/760120/when-will-museums-tell-the-whole-truth-about-their-antiquities/
Ancient Roman bust seized from U.S. museum in trafficking probe
https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/art/2023/09/06/worcester-art-museum-roman-bust/
Worcester Art Museum Transfers Ownership of Bronze Bust
https://www.worcesterart.org/about/press-room/press-releases/worcester-art-museum-transfers-ownership-of-bronze-bust/
MOLA Contributor(s)
Jason Felch
Peer Reviewed By
Damien Huffer
Citation
“The Emperor's Daughter,” Museum of Looted Antiquities, accessed October 5, 2024, https://mola.omeka.net/items/show/2192.