Ancient Architecture - Greek, Greek Art - Archaic & Classical, Material Culture, General & Miscellaneous Sculpture, Greece - Individual Buildings & Designs, Art Conservation, Restoration & Museum Studies

The Elgin Marbles : Should They Be Returned to Greece?

Name: The Elgin Marbles : Should They Be Returned to Greece?
Author: Christopher Hitchens
ISBN: 9781859842201

by Christopher Hitchens

Write a review

Overview

The case for the prosecution from Christopher Hitchens. The Elgin Marbles, designed and executed by Phidias to adorn the Parthenon, are some of the most beautiful sculptures of ancient Greece. In 1801 Lord Elgin, then British ambassador to the Turkish government in Athens, had pieces of the frieze sawn off and removed to Britain, where they remain, igniting a storm of controversy which has continued to the present day. In this reissue of the first full-length work on this fiercely debated issue, Christopher Hitchens recounts the history of these precious sculptures and forcefully makes the case for their return to Greece. Drawing Out the artistic, moral, legal and political perspectives of the argument, Hitchens's eloquent prose makes The Elgin Marbles an invaluable contribution to one of the most important cultural controversies of our times.

About the Author, Christopher Hitchens

Christopher Hitchens

Chistopher Hitchens (1949-2011) was among the most wide-ranging, prolific and influential journalists and essayists of our time. Delighting in a combative attitude toward writers he disagreed with and frequently challenging conventional wisdom on subjects that included politics, religion, gender and literary taste, Hitchens was an eager debater and a much-admired stylist. At the time of his death from cancer in December 2011, he was a contributing editor to Vanity Fair as well as a frequent contributor to many other publications. His last published books included the essay collection Arguably and the bestselling memoir Hitch-22.