IFAR Journal
Volume 10, No. 3/4
2008/09
What Art Collectors Need to Know About Copyright — a Q&A
— Theodore Feder
Mr. Feder, President of the Artists Rights Society, counters the assumption that ownership of a work of art confers ownership of the copyright and answers a series of questions about copyright relating to works of art.
Looking at Art: The Conservator's View — To See Art or to Save It — A Century of Addressing the Dilemma
— Margaret Holben Ellis
The article examines the material and environmental causes of the deterioration of works of art, particularly works on paper, and suggests some preventive measures.
The Who, What, Why and How of the Cultural Property Advisory Committee (CPAC): Introduction
— Sharon Flescher
A special section of five articles and Q&A containing edited versions of talks by present and former members of CPAC at a program held by IFAR on April 17, 2008. CPAC is the advisory committee responsible for reviewing requests by foreign governments for U.S. help in restricting the import into the U.S. of cultural property said to be in jeopardy of pillage.
The Who, What, Why and How of the Cultural Property Advisory Committee (CPAC): The Legal Basis
— Patty Gerstenblith
The author provides the legal background of the Cultural Property Implementation Act, which created CPAC, and mentions the two ways U.S. import restrictions can be applied and the "four determinations" CPAC uses in recommending restrictions.
The Who, What, Why and How of the Cultural Property Advisory Committee (CPAC): The Composition and Operation of CPAC
— Nancy C. Wilkie
The author describes the criteria for membership in CPAC, the appointment process, post-appointment restrictions, and how requests from foreign governments are handled.
The Who, What, Why and How of the Cultural Property Advisory Committee (CPAC): A Historical Perspective
— Jack A. Josephson
The author, a former CPAC Chairman, provides an historical context for the Cultural Property Implementation Act and mentions a 1992 report by the Cultural Property Advisory Committee that called for, among other things, greater use of diplomacy to help foreign countries preserve their cultural property.
The Who, What, Why and How of the Cultural Property Advisory Committee (CPAC): A Critique of CPAC
— Kate Fitz Gibbon
The author acknowledges the limitations of CPAC, including differences among committee members in interpreting the Cultural Property Implementation Act, and voices her objections to the secrecy surrounding committee deliberations.
The Who, What, Why and How of the Cultural Property Advisory Committee (CPAC): The Chairman's View
— Jay I. Kislak
The author, then current CPAC Chairman, describes the diversity of viewpoints of the CPAC membership and questions the committee's effectiveness and lack of transparency.
News and Updates: The Sale That Wasn't — Disputed Saint Laurent Chinese Bronzes Still in Limbo After Auction
— Sharon Flescher
An update on the ownership status and controversy surrounding the sale of two Chinese bronzes auctioned at Christie's, Paris in February 2009 as part of the Yves-Saint Laurent-Pierre Bergé Collection, including China's attempt to stop the sale, the French court's decision to allow it, and the about-face by the winning bidder.
News and Updates: New Moves in Cultural Property Pacts and on the Committee
— Sharon Flescher
A summary of recent U.S. bilateral agreements with foreign countries — China, Cambodia, and Honduras — under the Cultural Property Implementation Act (CPIA) of 1983. The agreement with China is new and controversial. The ones with Cambodia and Honduras extend and amend existing agreements. The article also discusses 2008 changes in both the membership of the Cultural Property Advisory Committee (CPAC) and the chairmanship.
News and Updates: After Half a Century, U.S. Ratifies Hague Convention
— Sharon Flescher
A discussion of the U.S. ratification of the Hague Convention protecting cultural property in times of armed conflict; the reasons why the U.S. delayed ratification for nearly 54 years; and the four "understandings" that qualify the U.S. ratification.
Stolen Art
Thefts include: Lyonel Feininger, Fin de Séance, and Chaim Soutine, La Femme en Rouge, stolen from a Los Angeles residence; 30 items stolen from Fasenengalerie in Berlin, including Henri Matisse, Le lanceur de couteaux, and Pablo Picasso, La Petite Corrida; 10 paintings missing from the Italian studio of the late artist Piero Dorazio.
Missing Art
Missing items include: Eight paintings and three works on paper by Robert Motherwell; L.C. Armstrong, Botanica over Bikini; Julian Alden Weir, The Palm Leaf Fan.
Recovered Art
Recovered paintings include: Cornelis Dusart, Family Drinking in the Kitchen, and Jan Steen, The Quack, stolen from the Frans Hals Museum in The Netherlands; a Camille Pissarro and a David Teniers, The Younger stolen from the Noortman gallery in Maastricht, Switzerland; Georges Braque, The Purple Teapot, stolen from a New York gallery.