Masterclass: The Riace Bronzes: Ethics & the Art Market in Ancient Rome

Masterclass: The Riace Bronzes

Dr David Bellingham

Programme Director MA Art Business London, Sotheby’s Institute of Art, London

Explore the ethical and historical dimensions of the Riace Bronzes, two Classical Greek masterpieces recovered from the seabed in 1972. This lecture examines issues of provenance, attribution, and cultural property within the context of Roman art looting and the emergence of the ancient art market. Gain insight into how these debates illuminate enduring questions about ownership, authenticity, and the reception of antiquity.