What did Lord Elgin do with the marbles?

What did Lord Elgin do with the marbles?

Following a public debate in Parliament and its subsequent exoneration of Elgin, he sold the Marbles to the British government in 1816. They were then passed into the trusteeship of the British Museum, where they are now on display in the purpose-built Duveen Gallery.

Why is it called Elgin Marbles?

The Elgin Marbles receive their name from the British lord who craftily spirited them away from Greece. Despite objections that Lord Elgin had “ruined Athens” by the time his work was done in 1805, the British Government purchased the marbles from him in 1816. They’ve been housed at the British Museum ever since.

Why did Britain take the Elgin Marbles?

“Elgin believed he was rescuing the sculptures from the risk of further damage,” writes Neil MacGregor, director of the British Museum, in The Times on Friday. Elgin, an art lover, claimed the sculptures were better off in Britain than the perilous environment he found them in.

What is the Elgin Marbles controversy?

The Elgin Marbles have been controversial for over 200 years, with the Acropolis Museum in Athens – which houses the remaining sculptures – keeping a space empty for them amongst its current display. Greece considers the Elgin Marbles stolen goods and has frequently demanded that they’re returned.

What are Elgin Marbles and where are they found?

The Elgin Marbles, also known as the Parthenon Marbles, were Athenian sculptures taken from the Parthenon and brought to England in 1806 by Thomas Bruce, Lord Elgin. Most of these sculptures are still found in the British Museum .

What is the significance of the Elgin Marbles?

The Elgin Marbles are a source of controversy between modern Britain and Greece. It’s a collection of stone pieces rescued/removed from the ruins of the Ancient Greek Parthenon in the nineteenth century, and now in demand to be sent back from the British Museum to Greece.

Where were the Elgin Marbles found?

The Elgin Marbles, sometimes referred to as the Parthenon sculptures, are a collection of marble sculptures that originally adorned the top of the exterior of the Parthenon in Athens, Greece, and are now in London, England.

What are the Elgin Marbles?

Elgin Marbles. The Parthenon Marbles (Greek: Γλυπτά του Παρθενώνα) also known as the Elgin Marbles (/ˈɛlɡɪn/), are a collection of Classical Greek marble sculptures made under the supervision of the architect and sculptor Phidias and his assistants.