MANHATTAN DA’S OFFICE RETURNS ANCIENT ETRUSCAN VESSEL TO ITALY
Pictured (l-r): Min. Plen. Francesco Genuardi, Consul General of Italy in New York, and Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance, Jr.
Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance, Jr., recently announced the return of an ancient Etruscan vessel to the Italian Republic during a repatriation ceremony attended by the Consul General of Italy in New York, Minister Plenipotentiary Francesco Genuardi, and Deputy Special Agent-in-Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”) New York Debra Parker.
“When looters overrun historic sites, mine sacred spaces for prized relics, and peddle stolen property for top dollar, they do so with the implicit endorsement of all those who knowingly trade in stolen antiquities,” said District Attorney Vance. “Placing profit above provenance is unacceptable, particularly on the part of those with the means and expertise to recognize signs of trafficking. I encourage individuals, gallery owners, art collectors, and academics to report potential thefts to my Office and our partners in law enforcement.”
Min. Plen. Francesco Genuardi, Consul General of Italy in New York, said:
“On behalf of the Italian Republic, the Consulate General wishes
to extend its heartfelt thanks and congratulations to the District Attorney
of Manhattan, Cyrus R. Vance, Jr., and his office, as well as to Ms. Debra
Parker, Deputy Special Agent-in-Charge of Homeland Security Investigations
in New York, for their contribution to the achievement of another significant
result in the fight against international smuggling of antique artifacts.
“Today, a marvelous Etruscan vessel, dated around 470 B.C. and stolen
from Italy in the nineties, finally returns to Italy and I am very proud
to accept it as part of our cultural and artistic heritage.
“As agreed upon with the Italian Ministry of Cultural Heritage and
Tourism, the Etruscan vessel will be at first exhibited at the Consulate
General of Italy in New York where the Italian and Italian-American community
of New York could appreciate its beauty during our many public events.
In a few months, it will be returned to Italy and permanently displayed
in one of the museums belonging to the ‘Polo Museale del Lazio’
with a special mention of the decisive contribution of the Manhattan District
Attorney’s Office for its repatriation.
“The artistic expression of every country is part of our global
human heritage. Art, culture, and tradition should be defended from illegal
trafficking and preserved at international level. Illegal smuggling of
artwork affects not only a country, which is deprived of its own treasures,
but all of us, since artworks represent our values, our history, our tradition
and our culture. Protecting those treasures is a priority for every country
and it represents a way to keep them alive throughout the years.
“This repatriation ceremony represents a tremendous result in the
framework of the significant strengthening of the collaboration between
Italy and the United States, led on the Italian side by the Italian Embassy
in D.C. It is indeed not the first time that American and Italian authorities
are involved in this kind of partnership aimed at recovering of stolen artworks.
“The Consulate General is therefore very thankful to the District
Attorney’s office and Homeland Security Investigations office for
recovering this important vessel and for their strong commitment towards
law enforcement and international cooperation.”
Angel M. Melendez, Special Agent-in-Charge of HSI New York, said: “The investigative efforts set forth by the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, the Consul General of Italy in New York, and our Cultural Property, Art and Antiquities unit unraveled the mystery of this relic stolen from the historic site of the ancient Necropolis more than two decades ago. The return of this vase is another instance of solid international partnerships that result in the identification and recovery of historic, stolen works of art.”
In February, the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office seized the vessel from a gallery in Midtown Manhattan pursuant to a search warrant and as part of an ongoing joint investigation with partners in international law enforcement.
The dual-handled vessel dates back to approximately 470 B.C. and was stolen in the mid-1990s from Cerveteri, a present-day municipality located to the north of Rome, Italy, and the historic site of an ancient Etruscan necropolis. The value of the vessel, which depicts a nude satyr and draped youth, is estimated at more than $250,000. Once presented with evidence of theft, the item was forfeited willingly by the Manhattan-based art gallery where it was advertised and displayed.
Related Repatriations
Also in February, the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office returned an ancient marble sarcophagus fragment to the Hellenic Republic after the recovering the relic from the same gallery in Midtown Manhattan, where it was displayed as a centerpiece. The item, which was stolen from Greece in the early 1990s, was smuggled abroad and trafficked through Europe before landing in New York.
Past Repatriations
Over the past few years, the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office has recovered and repatriated numerous items forfeited as part of criminal investigations and prosecutions:
- In August 2014, five ancient coins dating as far back as 515 B.C. were returned to Greece following the investigation and prosecution of Arnold Peter Weiss, a coin collector who was convicted of multiple counts of Attempted Criminal Possession of Stolen Property in the Fourth Degree for possessing several coins that the defendant believed to be stolen dekadrachma and tetradrachm from the Sicilian cities of Agrigento and Catania.
- In April 2016, a 2nd century Buddhist sculpture valued at more than $1 million was returned to Pakistan following the investigation and prosecution of Tatsuzo Kaku, an art dealer convicted of Criminal Possession of Stolen Property for acquiring and selling stolen antiquities smuggled out of South Asia.
- In May and June 2016, two bronze statues and four carved artifacts dating back to the 10th and 11th centuries A.D. and valued at several millions of dollars were returned to India following a series of seizures conducted as part of an investigation into international antiquities trafficking.
Assistant District Attorney Matthew Bogdanos, Senior Trial Counsel, handled the recovery of the Etruscan amphora. The recovery was made possible by the efforts of Dr. Christos Tsirogiannis, Affiliate Researcher at the Scottish Centre of Crime and Justice Research, University of Glasgow, and lecturer for the Association for Research into Crimes Against Art ("ARCA") in Italy.
District Attorney Vance also thanked HSI New York and the Consulate General of Italy in New York for their assistance with the matter.
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