Dutch museum returns ancient vase to Sicily after research uncovers ‘problematic’ provenance
Rogier Kalkers from Amsterdam’s Allard Pierson museum says he hopes the restitution will be a “stepping stone towards further collaboration” with Sicilian authorities
A third-century BC Sicilian vase, known as the Centuripe pyxis, was recently returned to Sicily after the University of Amsterdam's museum determined its provenance to be "problematic." The lidded ceramic vase was returned last week to Sicilian authorities following a restitution request from Italian police. The Allard Pierson museum, which acquired the vase in 1997 at the Tefaf art fair in Maastricht, agreed that its history raised concerns.
The vase, adorned with ancient gods like Apollo observing a wedding scene, was believed to have been buried in a rock-cut tomb near Centuripe, a Sicilian trade center allied with Rome. However, research revealed that the claim of private ownership since before 1970 was false. This discrepancy became evident when the Italian authorities found a roll of film from the 1970s, showing the vase among recently excavated objects, which disproved the Swiss origin story.
In 2017, the Italian authorities made the restitution claim, leading to the vase's return. The Allard Pierson museum, under the guidance of provenance research head Rogier Kalkers, acknowledged a moral obligation to return the object. Kalkers stated that the museum had shifted its approach, proactively seeking return of problematic objects instead of waiting for source countries to request them.
The vase will now be displayed at the Centuripe Regional Archaeological Museum, marking the beginning of a new relationship between the countries. Kalkers emphasized that while the museum has lost ownership of one object, it represents a step towards increased collaboration, provenance research, technical research, and inter-institutional loans.
This restitution underscores the evolving role of museums as stewards of cultural heritage rather than mere owners. The culture minister also announced the return of a Picasso bust to the heir of Jewish dealer Alfred Flechtheim, reflecting a broader trend of museums paying closer attention to the provenance of works in their collections.
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