Among the 50 pieces he took home (the shipping charges were £75,000, a huge sum for those days) was most of the remaining…. The warm weather would perhaps cure his ailments and it would certainly be interesting work. Muaz Mohamed, 10, of Lord Elgin Public School shows his mastery of the bars, which form part of the new playground equipment installed at the school. One reader said: “If the Elgin Marbles are returned then everything in every museum in the world has to be returned to its country of origin - all Egyptian mummies to Egypt, all Greek antiquities to Greece etc. A lively and informative new podcast for kids that the whole family will enjoy! These were good points. Lord Elgin did have the classical period to assist him with the design. envoy in Vienna and Brussels as well as Minister Plenipotentiary to the Court of Prussia. controlled Greece. Yet that displacement is also a creative act.". This article was most recently revised and updated by, Napoleon.org - Biography of James Bruce Elgin, Dictionary of Canadian Biography - Biography of James Bruce, 8th Earl of Elgin and 12th Earl of Kincardine, James Bruce, earl of Elgin - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up). James Bruce, 8th earl of Elgin, in full James Bruce, 8th earl of Elgin, 12th earl of Kincardine, (born July 20, 1811, London—died Nov. 20, 1863, Dharmsala, India), British statesman and governor general of British North America in 1847–54 who effected responsible, or cabinet, government in Canada and whose conduct in office defined the role for his successors. At first glance, He negotiated the Reciprocity Treaty (1854) between the Canadian colonies and the U.S. Entering the army in 1785 and rising later to the rank of major general, Elgin began his diplomatic career in 1790. The present Lord Elgin served for two decades as President of the Scottish Amicable Life Assurance Society. Thomas Bruce, 7th earl of Elgin, (born July 20, 1766—died Nov. 14, 1841, Paris), British diplomatist and art collector, famous for his acquisition of the Greek sculptures now known as the “ Elgin Marbles” (q.v… to an inquiry by the British government, even Lord Elgin admitted that the Some are even Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. and buildings, make molds and bring these back to England. Since 1939, they should be returned. Home of the Daily and Sunday Express. ruins of the Parthenon in Greece and brought to Britain back in 1801 Some were actually chopping at the marbles, removing pieces from the standing statues. Lord Elgin was convinced had he not these sculptures have been on display at the British Museum in London. Today, Greece is a modern country. How Scotland should be dealing with the Elgin Marbles issue, Elgin family to return some stones of no value to their country of origin, The location of the Ottawa busts of the eighth Earl of Elgin & his wife, Did people really think Elgin’s removal of marbles was legal. In 1810 he published a Memorandum defending his actions and judgment. Lord Elgin (1811-1863) was Governor General and Viceroy of India from 1862 to 1863. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.... Dharmshala, town, western Himachal Pradesh state, northwestern India. Thomas Bruce, the 7th Earl of Elgin and British Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire, controversially acquired the Parthenon Sculptures in Athens in the early 19th century. his architect Thomas Harrison, encouraged him to bring back drawings and plaster casts of surviving objects of Just two percent (100) of those surveyed remained unsure and said they did not know. Any decision to hand them back would likely require an Act of Parliament, because the British Museum Act of 1963 bans the return of any property. newspaper archive. "Today we write to you as members of the congressional caucus on Hellenic Issues to urge your government to negotiate with the Greek government in earnest on the return of the Parthenon Marbles to Greece. By. 1801: When Lord Elgin Removed the First Sculptures from Parthenon to Take to England. the Parthenon to be exposed once again to possible damage by tourists or the In England he served as postmaster general (1859–60) in Lord Palmerston’s Cabinet, before undertaking his last post as viceroy of India in 1862. READ MORE: Coronavirus LIVE: Boris threatens to put soldiers on street. As Lords go, Thomas Bruce, the Seventh Earl of Elgin was in bad shape in 1798. But that really doesn't decide who gets what and why. Greek Art and Architecture was the highest expression of civilization and by bringing these sketches and copies During the time when Lord Elgin was ambassador to the Ottoman Empire, Athens was under its rule. He was once Chairman of the National Savings Committee for Scotland and Lord High Commissioner of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland. Personally, I would vote they belong to the whole world, and everyone in But, as Lord Elgin pointed out, many tourists were visiting the Parthenon and removing pieces of it to take home as souvenirs. The Parthenon sculptures - nicknamed the Elgin Marbles, Before and After Drawings of Elgin's work in Athens, eval(ez_write_tag([[250,250],'mrdonn_org-medrectangle-3','ezslot_0',108,'0','0']));Minoans. Greece has long wanted these Parthenon Marbles back. The 5th century artefacts are currently housed in the British Museum and are widely regarded as one of the finest examples of marble sculpture on earth. As of June 2018, the Elgin Marbles are still in the The Scots diplomat was also an art collector. He was however well educated and had risen through the Before his departure to take up the post he had approached officials of the British government to inquire if they would be interested in employing artists to take casts and drawings of the sculptured portions of the Parthenon. He also worked on the Canadian educational system and abolished seigneurial tenure. The survey conducted on Tuesday September 22 between 8.32am and 9.00pm asked 5,027, A poll has found the UK should not return the Elgin Marbles to Greece, Thomas Bruce acquired the Parthenon Sculptures in Athens in the early 19th century, The Elgin Marbles are kept in the British Museum, Brexit fury: ‘No chance!’ - UK's defiant threat in Elgin Marbles row, Elgin Marbles: Barnier ordered to return 'unlawfully removed' objects, Coronavirus LIVE: Boris threatens to put soldiers on street, A poll has found 65 percent of people think the Elgin Marbles should stay in the UK, Brexit LIVE: EU backs down from talks threat – Macron plea ignored, Andrew Neil savages Boris over new coronavirus rules, BBC Weather warning: UK set for 'heavy and persistent' rain, UK weather forecast: Charts show icy Arctic BLAST to smash Britain, Blow for Starmer: Labour Party’s likeability plummets, Officials in Washington have urged the UK to send the sculptures back to Greece, Furious French farmers pictured burning EU flags, Red Wall Tory MP blasts Starmer after plea to ex-Labour voters, Brexit breakthrough: EU official admits ‘window of opportunity’. care of the British Museum. 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