The removal of the Parthenon sculptures from Athens was akin to removing the Eiffel Tower from Paris or Stonehenge from Salisbury, Stephen Fry has said, as he called for the return of the classic Greek sculptures to their country of origin.
The actor and writer, who has been advocating for the return of the sculptures held at the British Museum in London, said there was a “win-win” solution to the centuries-old debate over ownership of the Parthenon marbles. He called for a cultural partnership under which other incredible Greek artefacts would be exhibited in the UK for the first time.
“The removal of the Parthenon sculptures could be compared to removing the Eiffel Tower from Paris or Stonehenge from Salisbury,” Fry said. “I think this comparison speaks to the cultural importance of the Parthenon sculptures, which are an indelibly evocative symbol of Greek heritage and identity.
“I want the British Museum to continue in its role as a ‘museum of the world’, showcasing magnificent Greek artefacts as part of rotating exhibits. But the Parthenon sculptures must be reunified – permanently – in Athens.”
Fry’s comments came ahead of a statement by the British Museum that it was involved in constructive discussions with the Greek government over the fate of the marble sculptures. On Wednesday, the museum said in a statement: “We’ve said publicly we’re actively seeking a new Parthenon partnership with our friends in Greece and as we enter a new year constructive discussions are ongoing.”
The Parthenon, which is on the Acropolis in Athens, was completed in the fifth century BC as a temple to the goddess Athena, and its decorative friezes contain some of the greatest examples of ancient Greek sculpture. Fry said it stood apart from other relics of ancient Athens in “both its beauty, status and pioneering architectural influence”.
The sculptures were controversially removed during Turkish occupation in 1802 at the behest of Lord Elgin, London’s ambassador to the Sublime Porte, and brought to Britain. Athens has called the British Museum’s retention of the antiquities illegal and “contrary to any moral principle”.
Fry said: “The frieze and metope bring to life the Greek history, myths and legends that captivate lovers of classical antiquity like me. Not only do I believe they rightfully belong to Greece, but would these intricately carved sculptures not be all the more stunning to behold if seen reunited as a single artistic piece of work in the Acropolis Museum?”
Fry is a supporter of the Parthenon Project, a campaign group set up by the Greek magnate John Lefas and chaired by the former culture minister Ed Vaizey, which is advocating for such a cultural exchange between Greece and the UK. They say blockbuster artefacts such as the striking gold funeral mask of Agamemnon, the legendary Nestor’s Cup or the bronze statue the Jockey of Artemision could be showcased in London.
Polling by YouGov commissioned by the Parthenon Project shows the majority of Britons (53%) believe the Parthenon sculptures should be returned to Greece, while a quarter (24%) said they did not mind either way. Of those who opposed the return, 42% said they would change their mind if the British Museum were lent other unique Greek artefacts in return.
For the past year, the chair of the British Museum, George Osborne, has been holding talks with the Greek prime minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, over the possible return of the marbles. But the British Museum Act of 1963 prevents the British Museum from deaccessioning disputed items (which also includes a significant number of Benin Bronzes) except in very limited circumstances. Earlier this month, Rishi Sunak ruled out changing the law.
“The UK government has outlined several times that the decision on the future of the Parthenon sculptures is a matter for the trustees of the British Museum,” Fry said. “Taking the government’s position at face value means that the trustees are free to make the decision.
“We must not get bogged down by disputes about definitions regarding ownership. We must also move away from cyclical discussions about whether Lord Elgin was a hero or a villain. Ultimately, these won’t get us anywhere.”
The fate of the Parthenon marbles is the most high-profile in the hotly contested debate about whether museums should return items in their collections to their countries of origin.
Fry said the rising number of restitution campaigns around the world were “doing a wonderful job in shining a light on disputed items” and “telling their story to the modern world”.
But each campaign should be judged on its own merit, he added, and the debate around the Parthenon sculptures was one about “the reunification of a magnificent work of art, not restitution”.
“I am not trying to stop the British Museum from fulfilling its role as an encyclopaedic, world-leading cultural institution, that showcases a multitude of civilisations from around the world. Quite the opposite,” he said.
“Imagine a transformed Duveen Gallery in the British Museum featuring pieces from Greece like the astonishing gold funereal Mask of Agamemnon. I can’t imagine the British Museum would not see footfall increase as a result.
“And by being magnanimous and returning the Parthenon sculptures, and establishing a new cultural partnership between our two countries, just think of the benefits for the Anglo-Greece relationship too.”
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