Ruling Culture: Art Police, Tomb Robbers, and the Rise of Cultural Power in Italy

Italy has a strong art-crime squad that has been the inspiration of novels, movies, and TV shows. It has entered into legal battles against major museums, such as the Getty, New York's Metropolitan Museum, and the Louvre, to bring its cultural artifacts home. This has turned heritage into patrimony capital, a powerful and controversial convergence of art, money, and politics.

\n Format: Paperback / softback
\n Length: 328 pages
\n Publication date: 15 March 2021
\n Publisher: The University of Chicago Press
\n

Throughout much of its history, Italy has held a prominent position as the epicenter of arts in Europe, serving as a vibrant playground for foreign elites and powers who engaged in the acquisition, sale, and sometimes plundering of countless artworks and antiquities. This unfortunate loss of artifacts looted by other nations has placed Italy at a significant economic and political disadvantage compared to its northern European counterparts. However, in recent times, Italy has taken a bold stance in asserting control over its cultural heritage, employing a famously effective art-crime squad that has served as the inspiration for numerous novels, movies, and TV shows.

In its relentless pursuit to reclaim its cultural treasures, Italy has engaged in legal battles against some of the world's most renowned museums, including the Getty, New York's Metropolitan Museum, and the Louvre. These legal confrontations have turned heritage into a powerful and contentious convergence of art, money, and politics, raising profound questions about the ownership, preservation, and dissemination of cultural artifacts.

In 2006, the then-president of Italy boldly proclaimed that his country had emerged as the "world's greatest cultural power." Ruling Culture, authored by Fiona Greenland, delves into the intricate journey that led Italy to acquire such extensive legal authority, global power, and cultural influence. Greenland meticulously traces the historical trajectory, encompassing the nineteenth-century unification of Italy and the subsequent passage of novel heritage laws. These legal frameworks have played a pivotal role in shaping Italy's cultural sovereignty, granting it the authority.

Today, Italy's unwavering belief in its cultural superiority is evident in the way its citizens, material culture, and the state interact. At the forefront of this narrative is the Art Squad, a highly visible military-police art protection unit that has garnered international attention for its relentless efforts to safeguard Italy's artistic heritage. Greenland offers a comprehensive account of the contemporary actors involved in this tale, providing a close examination of the Art Squad and state archaeologists on one side, as well as unauthorized excavators, thieves, and smugglers on the other. Through years of diligent research and extensive interviews with key figures, Greenland presents a multifaceted story that encompasses art crime, cultural diplomacy, and the ongoing struggles between preservation and exploitation.

In conclusion, Italy's historical journey as a cultural powerhouse has been marked by both triumphs and challenges. The loss of artifacts looted by other nations has placed it at a disadvantage, but its unwavering commitment to reclaiming its cultural heritage has propelled it to assert control over its cultural treasures. Through legal battles against major museums and the establishment of the Art Squad, Italy has demonstrated its determination to protect its artistic legacy and preserve its cultural superiority. Ruling Culture offers a captivating exploration of this complex and multifaceted story, shedding light on the intricate interplay between art, money, and politics and the ongoing struggles to preserve the world's cultural heritage for future generations.

\n Weight: 388g\n
Dimension: 151 x 229 x 17 (mm)\n
ISBN-13: 9780226757032\n \n