The director of the British Museum resigned on Friday following a series of thefts from collections, a particularly embarrassing scandal for one of the world’s most prestigious cultural institutions.
In office since 2016, Hartwig Fischer, 60, had already announced his intention to give up his place next year. But the pressure on this German art historian – the first non-British to head the British Museum – has been mounting since the announcement on August 16 of the disappearance of a series of pieces from the collections, some dating back to the 15th century. century BC
“It is evident that the British Museum did not respond as it should have to the warnings of 2021 and the now fully visible problem,” Fischer said in a statement. “The responsibility for this failure ultimately rests with the director.”
“The situation in which the museum finds itself is extremely serious. I sincerely believe that it will overcome this episode and come out of it stronger, but unfortunately I have come to the conclusion that my presence is a source of confusion”, he added.
The museum’s president, George Osborne, said the resignation – effective immediately – had been accepted and that an interim director would be put in place pending the selection of a new boss for the institution.
Mr. Fischer “acted honorably in dealing with the mistakes that were made. No one ever doubted Hartwig’s integrity, his dedication to his work, or his love for the museum,” Mr. Osborne.
The announcement of a series of thefts, of the small unexposed pieces kept in the reserves, constituted a deflagration for the museum.
Founded in 1753, the latter notably includes in its collections of eight million pieces the famous Rosetta Stone, a stele that has made it possible to decipher the hieroglyphics, and is one of the most visited attractions in the United Kingdom.
Among the missing or damaged pieces are gold jewelry, semi-precious stones or glassware dating from the 15th century BC to the 19th century AD.
The institution had indicated in mid-August that it had dismissed an employee, seized the police and launched an independent investigation in order to shed light on these thefts and learn from them. She had assured that she would make every effort to find the stolen parts.
Since then, the revelations have multiplied in the dropper in the press which evokes up to 2,000 objects disappeared over several years, some ending up on sale on eBay for modest sums.
The press has also identified the employee as Peter Higgs, a well-known curator in art circles who denies any responsibility.
London police said they questioned a man, without naming him, but did not launch any prosecution as it stands.
The BBC has revealed the existence of emails from an art seller, Ittai Gradel, alerting the museum to thefts as early as 2021.
According to some media, not only Peter Higgs would have been left in office despite these suspicions but would have been recently promoted to oversee the Greek collections including the Parthenon marbles, pieces at the heart of an ultra-sensitive dispute because claimed by Greece.
Despite the will displayed by the management of the museum to reach an agreement with Athens, the British government is firmly opposed to any return of the 75-meter frieze detached from the Parthenon, acquired according to him legally by the diplomat Lord Elgin. The law very strictly regulates any transfer of the pieces of the British Museum.
The announcement of the theft of objects from the collection immediately revived the case. The British press quoted Greek archaeologists seeing it as a sign that coins from Greece are not safe in London, while British elected officials responded by crying opportunism.
25/08/2023 18:34:16 – London (AFP) – © 2023 AFP
