Directions:Choose the best statement from the list A -G for each numbered name (1-5). There are two extra choices which you do not need to use. Mark your answers on the ANSWER SHEET. (10 points)
1.Hannah
Simply,there are people in Nigeria who cannot travel to the Smithsonian Institution to see that part of their history and culture represented by the Benin Bronzes.These should be available to them as part of their cultural heritage and history and as a source of national pride.These is no good reason that these artifacts should be beyond the ordinary reach of the educational objectives orinspiration of the generations to which they were left.They serve no purpose in a museum in the Unitde States or elsewhere except ascurious objects.They cannot be compared to works of art produced for sale which can be passed from hand to hand and place by purchase.
2.Buck
We know very exact reproductions of artwork can be and are regularly produced.Perhaps museums and governments mightexplore some role for the use of nearly exact reproductions as ameans of resolving issues relating to returning works of art and antiquities.The context of any exhibit is more important to me than whether the object being displayed is 2000years old or 2 months old.In many cases the experts have a hard time agreeing on what is the real object and what is a forgery.Again,the story an exhibit is trying to tell is what matters.The monetary value of the object ondisplay is a distant second place in importance.
3.Sara
When visiting the Baltimore Museum of Art,I came across amagnificent 15th-century Chinese sculpture.It inspired me to learn more about the culture that it represented.Artifacts in museums have the power to inspire,and perhaps spark that need to learn and understand the nature of their creators.Having said that,I do feel that whatever artifacts find their way to public museum should,in fact,besanctioned as having been obtained on loan, legally purchased orobtained by treaty.Stealing artifacts from other peoples’ cultures is obscene,it robs not only the physical objects,but the dignity and spirit of their creators.
4.Victor
Ancient art that is displayed in foreign countries by all means should be returned to the original country.The foreign countries have no right to hold back returning the items.I would ask that the foreign nations and the original country discuss the terms of transfer.Yes,there is the risk that the original will not have as good security as do the foreign-countries.But look at what happened to Boston's Gardner Museum theft in 1990,including the loss of Rembrandt Vermeer.Manet and masterpiece.Nothing is absolutely safe,nowhere,and now Climate Change agitators are attacking publicly displayed work in European museum.
5.Julia
To those of you in the comments section who are having strong feelings about artifacts being removed from cities in the US and Britain and returned to their countries of origin.I would ask you to consider:why do you think Americans have more of a right to easily access the Benin Bronzes than people of Nigeria?Why are people who live within a days drive of London entitled to go and see the Elgin Marbles wherever they want,but the people of Athensaren't?What intrinsic factors make the West a suitable home for these artifacts but preclude them from being preserved and displayed by their countries of origin?If your conclusion is that the West is better able to preserve these artifacts,think about why you're assuming that to be true.
A.It is clear that the countries of origin have never been compensated for the stolen artifacts.
B.It is a flawed line of reasoning to argue against retuning artifacts to their countries of origin
C.Museum visitors can still learn as mush from artifacts' copies after the originals.
D.Reproductions,even if perfectly mode,cannot take the place of the authentic object.
E.The real valeu of artifacts can only be recognized in their countries of origin rather than anywhere else
F.Ways to get artifacts from other countries must be decent and lawful.
G.Concern over security is no excuse for refusing to return artifacts to their countries of origin.
