Architecture of every country embodies the history, traditions and the spirit of a nation, especially when it stays within a country it was created. The history of Elgin Marbles, a piece of magnificent art of the Ancient Greece, takes its origin between 1801 and 1805 when the lord Elgin illicitly robed the Parthenon and took away the beautiful sculptures that were later sold to the British museum. Several decades later there appeared a debate either Elgin Marbles should be returned to Greece or not?
On the one hand, these sculptures are an integral part of Greek history and culture. Even if they are old as Parthenon and partially destroyed, they should be placed back as separately they lost their original spirit as one artistic entity. Even George Clooney appealed to the Britain to return Elgin Marbles back to Greece as they were taken to the British museum illegally and every generation should take responsibility for the actions of previous generations, announced Telegraph (Hudson). One more reason is that “the British Museum staff who damaged the sculptures through over-enthusiastic cleaning in the 1930s” (Quinn).
However, Neil McGregor, the director of the British Museum believes that if the sculptures stay in London, they will have a “maximum public benefit” (parthenonuk.com, 2014) as they belong to everyone. Moreover, it is impossible to place the Marbles on their former places in Parthenon as they are partially destroyed during two last centuries and restoring one artistic entity is impossible. Many other pieces of one monument do not exist anymore. Now they are a part of different story that cannot be altered. Trustees should decide what is more important: past, present or future
Works Cited
Hudson, Mark. “The Elgin Marbles - Why Their Home Is Here – Telegraph”. Telegraph.co.uk. N.p., 2014. Web. 15 Nov. 2014.
Parthenonuk.com. “Home”. N.p., 2014. Web. 15 Nov. 2014.
Quinn, Josephine. “The Parthenon Marbles Should Be Returned – But George Clooney Is Wrong. Josephine Quinn”. the Guardian. N.p., 2014. Web. 15 Nov. 2014.
