I feel rather mixed about this. They’re not going the national archives or anything, but into the private collection of some dude whose ancestor happened to be king.
I have no idea if this actually benefits the people or just the dude.
For art owned by individuals, it’s easy. Yes, absolutely.
But imagine Amsterdam gets ransacked and they steal the Nighwatch. A hundred and fifty years from now, the painting gets returned to the great grandson of Femke Halsema, the last mayor of Amsterdam.
Is that right? Should it go to the grandnephew of the king? Or the son of the last museumdirector, who had it under permanent loan? Or the granddaughter of the final prime minister? Should it be donated the the people of Nova Hollandia (the fictional successor state)?
I feel rather mixed about this. They’re not going the national archives or anything, but into the private collection of some dude whose ancestor happened to be king.
I have no idea if this actually benefits the people or just the dude.
Should art stolen by the Nazi also not return to the heirs of the rightful owner?
For art owned by individuals, it’s easy. Yes, absolutely.
But imagine Amsterdam gets ransacked and they steal the Nighwatch. A hundred and fifty years from now, the painting gets returned to the great grandson of Femke Halsema, the last mayor of Amsterdam.
Is that right? Should it go to the grandnephew of the king? Or the son of the last museumdirector, who had it under permanent loan? Or the granddaughter of the final prime minister? Should it be donated the the people of Nova Hollandia (the fictional successor state)?
There are no easy answers here