The Parthenon Sculptures

In 1937-8, in preparation for a new gallery given by Lord Duveen, an unauthorized cleaning of the Parthenon Sculptures in the British Museum was carried out. Initially the incident was hidden from the public, but it soon got into the press and a scandal ensued. Sixty years later, in response to a revivial of public interest in the episode, an international conference was organized by the Greek and Roman department of the British Museum to reexamine the controversial cleaning and its aftermath. The aim of the conference was to reassess the documentary and visual evidence for the cleaning, to evaluate how and to what extent it had altered the surface of the affected sculptures, and to look at wider issues relating to the history and ideas of conservation. This volume contains the papers given by the speakers and the considered opinions of the international panel who led the discussion. It also sets out all the relevant documents - contemporary letters, reports and news cuttings -pertinent to the events of 1937-8.