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Article: Nazi art-theft claims challenge museums' ethics.(VARIETY)
- Article from:
- Star Tribune (Minneapolis, MN)
- Article date:
- May 7, 1998
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1998 Star Tribune Co. 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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A Frenchman's recent assertion that the Minneapolis Institute of Arts is harboring a painting stolen from his family by Nazis long ago brings home a complicated issue of art world ethics: How does a museum that wants to do the right thing make sure such a claim is valid?
Sometimes neither the claimant nor the museum can determine the truth - even with exhaustive research in several countries, different languages and closely guarded files.
"I don't think doing the right thing will be as difficult as determining what the right thing is," said Eileen Harakal, executive director of public affairs at the Art Institute of Chicago. "Museums do not keep stolen ...