"Defending National Treasures" explores the fate of art and
cultural heritage during the Nazi occupation of France. The French
cultural patrimony was a crucial locus of power struggles between
German and French leaders and among influential figures in each
country. Karlsgodt examines the preservation policy that the Vichy
regime enacted in an assertion of sovereignty over French art
museums, historic monuments, and archeological sites. The limits to
this sovereignty are apparent from German appropriations of public
statues, Jewish-owned art collections, and key "Germanic" works of
art from French museums. A final chapter traces the lasting impact
of the French wartime reforms on preservation policy.
In "Defending National Treasures," Karlsgodt introduces the concept
of "patrimania" to reveal examples of opportunism in art
preservation. During the war, French officials sought to acquire
coveted artwork from Jewish collections for the Louvre and other
museums; in the early postwar years, they established a complicated
guardianship over unclaimed art recovered from Germany. A
cautionary tale for our own times, "Defending National Treasures"
examines the ethical dimensions of museum acquisitions in the
ongoing noble quest to preserve great works of art.
General
Is the information for this product incomplete, wrong or inappropriate?
Let us know about it.
Does this product have an incorrect or missing image?
Send us a new image.
Is this product missing categories?
Add more categories.
Review This Product
No reviews yet - be the first to create one!
Welcome to Loot.co.za!
Sign in / Register |Wishlists & Gift Vouchers |Help | Advanced search
