Plunder?: How Museums Got Their Treasures

by: Justin M. Jacobs (Author)

Publisher: Reaktion Books

Publication Date: 2024/10/10

Language: English

Print Length: 240 pages

ISBN-10: 1789149487

ISBN-13: 9781789149487

Book Description

A provocative reassessment of a popular narrative that connects museums, the antiquities trade, and theft.   In this thought-provoking new work, historian Justin M. Jacobs challenges the widely accepted belief that much of Weste museums’ treasures were acquired by imperialist plunder and theft. The account reexamines the allegedly immoral provenance of Weste collections, advocating for a nuanced understanding of how artifacts reached Weste shores. Jacobs examines the perspectives of Chinese, Egyptian, and other participants in the global antiquities trade over the past two and a half centuries, revealing that Weste collectors were often willingly embraced by locals. This collaborative dynamic, largely ignored by contemporary museum critics, unfolds a narrative of hope and promise for a brighter, more equitable future—a compelling reassessment of one of the institutional pillars of the Enlightenment.

About the Author

A provocative reassessment of a popular narrative that connects museums, the antiquities trade, and theft.   In this thought-provoking new work, historian Justin M. Jacobs challenges the widely accepted belief that much of Weste museums’ treasures were acquired by imperialist plunder and theft. The account reexamines the allegedly immoral provenance of Weste collections, advocating for a nuanced understanding of how artifacts reached Weste shores. Jacobs examines the perspectives of Chinese, Egyptian, and other participants in the global antiquities trade over the past two and a half centuries, revealing that Weste collectors were often willingly embraced by locals. This collaborative dynamic, largely ignored by contemporary museum critics, unfolds a narrative of hope and promise for a brighter, more equitable future—a compelling reassessment of one of the institutional pillars of the Enlightenment.