Description
Book Synopsis: Through much of its history, Italy was Europe’s heart of the arts, an artistic playground for foreign elites and powers who bought, sold, and sometimes plundered countless artworks and antiquities. This loss of artifacts looted by other nations once put Italy at an economic and political disadvantage compared with northern European states. Now, more than any other country, Italy asserts control over its cultural heritage through a famously effective art-crime squad that has been the inspiration of novels, movies, and tv shows. In its efforts to bring their cultural artifacts home, Italy has entered into legal battles against some of the world’s major museums, including the Getty, New York’s Metropolitan Museum, and the Louvre. It has turned heritage into patrimony capital—a powerful and controversial convergence of art, money, and politics. In 2006, the then-president of Italy declared his country to be “the world’s greatest cultural power.” With Ruling Culture, Fiona Greenland traces how Italy came to wield such extensive legal authority, global power, and cultural influence—from the nineteenth century unification of Italy and the passage of novel heritage laws, to current battles with the international art market. Today, Italy’s belief in its cultural superiority is evident through interactions between citizens, material culture, and the state—crystallized in the Art Squad, the highly visible military-police art protection unit. Greenland reveals the contemporary actors in this tale, taking a close look at the Art Squad and state archaeologists on one side and unauthorized excavators, thieves, and smugglers on the other. Drawing on years in Italy interviewing key figures and following leads, Greenland presents a multifaceted story of art crime, cultural diplomacy, and struggles between international powers.
Details
Discover the captivating world of Italy's cultural heritage with Ruling Culture: Art Police, Tomb Robbers, and the Rise of Cultural Power in Italy. Immerse yourself in the fascinating journey of Italy's artistic transformation from an artistic playground for foreign elites to a nation that asserts complete control over its cultural artifacts. Through this enchanting book, Fiona Greenland uncovers the secrets behind Italy's effective art-crime squad, renowned for its success in bringing home stolen artifacts and challenging major museums worldwide.
Explore the thrilling legal battles that Italy has engaged in with prestigious institutions like the Getty, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the Louvre. Witness the convergence of art, money, and politics as Italy shapes its cultural heritage into patrimony capital - a controversial and powerful force that elevates Italy to the status of "the world's greatest cultural power."
With Ruling Culture, Greenland takes you on an extraordinary journey through history, revealing how Italy established extensive legal authority, global power, and cultural influence. From the nineteenth-century unification of Italy to present-day battles in the international art market, you will witness Italy's unwavering belief in its cultural superiority. Dive into the lives of remarkable characters, from the highly visible military-police art protection unit, the Art Squad, to the thrilling encounters between state archaeologists and unauthorized excavators, thieves, and smugglers.
As a result of years spent in Italy, interviewing key figures and following leads, Greenland presents a vivid and captivating story of art crime, cultural diplomacy, and the ongoing struggles between international powers. Join us on this extraordinary adventure and discover why Ruling Culture is the ultimate exploration of the intersection between art, politics, and heritage.
Unlock the secrets of Italy's cultural power with Ruling Culture: Art Police, Tomb Robbers, and the Rise of Cultural Power in Italy. Experience the captivating world of art crime, cultural diplomacy, and international battles over cultural heritage. Don't miss out on this mesmerizing journey - order your copy now!
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