Italy asks Louvre to return antiquities

Paris: Italy has demanded the restitution of seven antiquities which it believes were looted before being sold by dealers to the Louvre in Paris in the 1980s and 90s, the museum said.

The claim, first reported in Le Monde newspaper, was made in a letter handed over by Italian Culture Minister Gennaro Sangiuliano in February during a visit to France, a spokesperson for the museum said.

All seven items, which include an amphora as well as ancient Greek vases ranging from the 4th-6th centuries BC, were sold by Italian traders convicted or suspected of trafficking in ancient artworks.

“I consider that works of doubtful provenance are a stain on the collections of the Louvre,” the museum’s president, Laurence des Cars, told Le Monde. “We should acknowledge and examine that with rigour and lucidity.”

An investigation has been launched into the disputed pieces which could lead to their return towards the end of the year.