The Plundered Past: The Story of the Illegal International Traffic in Works of Art

by Karl E. Meyer

Book by Meyer, Karl E.

paper

First published January 1, 1973

Reviews

[Caro · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was vaguely aware of the chicanery in the art world, but this book, though dated, was eye-opening. Meyer focuses less on outright theft from museums and more on theft in the field, especially in Central America and Turkey. Thomas Hoving does not come off well here (no surprise), nor do most of the art dealers. Recommended by the author of Stealing the Mystic Lamb https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8... this is told more coherently but Meyer's style is a bit stiff and formal.

[Lucy · Rating 4 out of 5]

His list of endangered sites in the world includes the Bamiyan Buddhas of Afghanistan. Alas, alas!