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Article: Pandora's Cubist box. (Czech Republic's National Gallery in dispute over the rights to its collection of Cubist paintings)
- Article from:
- The Economist (US)
- Article date:
- March 27, 1993
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1993 Economist Newspaper Ltd. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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THE democratic Czech Republic seems to be having more trouble returning artworks to their original owners than its communist predecessor had acquiring them. When the communists took control of Czechoslovakia in 1948 and set about nationalising everything, the country's art galleries and museums suddenly found themselves with an embarrassment of riches. Hundreds of paintings, sculptures, antiques and other treasures in private collections were confiscated and handed over to the nation's new cultural guardians for the benefit of the masses.
Since the collapse of communism, Czech galleries and museums have been returning items to their rightful owners under the laws of ...