ROME, May 2 - Italy's prolonged quest for the return of an ancient Greek sculpture allegedly smuggled out of the country decades ago received validation on Thursday as the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ruled in favor of Rome's demand against the Getty Villa Museum in the U.S.
The bronze figure, identified as the "Victorious Youth," depicts a nude adolescent male adorning himself with a laurel wreath. Crafted by Greek artist Lysippos between 300 and 100 BC, the statue surfaced in 1964 when a fisherman discovered it in the Adriatic Sea near the Italian town of Pedaso.
Having changed hands multiple times, the artwork was eventually purchased in Munich in 1977 by the Getty Trust for $3.95 million. It now resides at the Getty Villa Museum in Malibu, California, renowned for its exhibition of ancient Greek and Roman artifacts.
However, Italy has persistently alleged the statue's illicit removal from its territory and has pursued various avenues to reclaim it, including international law enforcement cooperation and diplomatic efforts.
In its verdict, the ECHR deemed Italy's 2019 confiscation decree, aimed at retrieving the sculpture, as justified and "commensurate with the objective of ensuring the repatriation of an artifact integral to Italy's cultural legacy."
The court further asserted that Italian authorities had substantiated the sculpture's status as part of the nation's cultural heritage and criticized the Getty Trust for allegedly flouting legal standards, either through negligence or possibly in bad faith, by acquiring the artwork without verifying its provenance.
The J. Paul Getty Trust, in its 2019 appeal to the European court, contended the confiscation order's legitimacy and argued the statue's non-Italian origin, citing its discovery in international waters.
Culture Minister Gennaro Sangiuliano hailed the ECHR's ruling as a definitive affirmation of Italy's rights, emphasizing the state's uncompromising stance toward cultural institutions that defy confiscation orders. Since assuming office in October 2022, Sangiuliano noted the retrieval of "hundreds" of artifacts from the United States and 750 from Britain.
The Getty Villa Museum did not immediately respond to requests for comment. It's worth noting that the court lacks jurisdiction over the United States.
