The Recovery Of Stolen Art

A heated public debate is in progress on both the national and international fronts. The issues: ethics, law, and morality relating to the return of looted, stolen, and unlawfully excavated art works. An important academic and practical initiative, The Recovery of Stolen Art collects essays by eminent scholars and practitioners that examine in detail the law relating to the recovery of stolen works of art and antiquities. The timing of the publication is particularly apposite, as it coincides with the entry into force of the UNIDROIT Convention in 1998. That a number of countries are actively considering adoption of the Convention necessitates an examination of the current regimes, since the Convention itself will not be retroactive in force. Stolen art is an area of the law where more complexities and underlying issues exist than initially meet the eye. For this reason, practitioners in this area and others affected by it must stay educated on the current state of the law. Its authoritativeness and currency make The Recovery of Stolen Art a critical component in such an effort.