Event Details

End: April 30, 2017
Contact: thelootedartconference@gmail.com

In recent years, the subject of looted art and the restitution of cultural property has come to the fore of historical enquiry and public consciousness alike. The field, however, remains rather compartmentalized along national, institutional and professional lines and still displays a marked tendency to focus on specific cases or collections. Instead much could be gained by studying the phenomenon in a broader comparative perspective and by exploring the tangible links to some of the central themes of 20^th-century history: revolution, persecution, displacement, war, migration and genocide.

The aim of this conference is to identify and address the historical continuities and specificities of the history of looted art and restitution in the overlapping contexts of 20^th- and 21^st-century British, European and World history as well as to assess its scope and relevance in light of present-day good practices and restitution policies in place in the UK and beyond.

The conference language is English. Papers will be pre-circulated in mid-March 2017.Please send a proposal of max 400 words, accompanied by a short CV, to Bianca Gaudenzi and Julia Rickmeyer (thelootedartconference at gmail.com) by 15 October 2016.

Organisers:    Bianca Gaudenzi (University of Cambridge/University of Konstanz)

Julia Rickmeyer (Sotheby’s London)