Austria and Greece, talks to return two Parthenon fragments

Austria and Greece are discussing the possible return to Athens of two Greek sculptures that are now the property of Vienna: the news, which could put pressure on the British Museum , which has been urged by Greece for years to return the Parthenon marbles, leaks out on the sidelines of a meeting yesterday in the Austrian capital between the foreign ministers of the two countries, Alexander Schallenberg and Nikos Dendias. The two sculptures in question are kept at the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna and are two fragments of the Parthenon’s northern frieze, one measuring 26 by 29 centimeters and the other 36 by 25: the first depicts two bearded men, the other two young horsemen and the head of a horse. Should the return materialize, it would be the third, following Italy’s return of the Palermo Frag ment and Vatican City’s return of the three fragments to the Vatican Museums.

Schallenberg said that “technical talks are currently underway” between the Kunsthistorisches Museum and the Acropolis Museum in Athens “about the possibility of a loan,” according to Austrian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Antonia Praun. Dendias, for his part, expressed “deep satisfaction” with the turn the discussion is taking, but without providing further details. “This will add to a series of highly symbolic gestures that could create positive momentum” for the return of the sculptures from the British Museum, Dendias said after meeting with Schallenberg. The Vienna return, the Greek minister added, “will be the third. And this, for us, is of enormous importance.”

No developments, however, on the British front. In February, the British Museum’s president had said that the UK and Greece were working on an agreement that would see his institution’s Parthenon marbles displayed in both London and Athens. But no news has emerged since then, except that the UK, through Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, has reiterated its position that the so-called “Elgin marbles” will remain in London.

Austria and Greece, talks to return two Parthenon fragments

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