The Cleveland Museum of Art (CMA) is set to repatriate a 13th-century manuscript leaf to Italy's Ministry of Culture after collaborative research confirmed its provenance and previous theft. The artwork, believed from a choral book near Siena, features "Christ in Majesty with Saints" and has been part of CMA's collection since 1952, according to WYSO. The decision comes after a year of conversation between the CMA and the Italian ministry, with a research effort involving photo comparisons of the leaf with other pages from the same period.
According to a press release given to WYSO, the manuscript was stolen on January 19, 1932, from the cathedral of Colle Val d'Elsa, and its post-theft journey remained largely untraceable until recently. Gerhard Lutz, the museum's Robert P. Bergman Curator of Medieval Art, described the difficulty in tracking the provenance of such small pieces, acknowledging that there are gaps in the provenance when it goes back into the first half of the 20th century.
The leaf, roughly the size of a magazine page, has not been displayed since 1993 and turns out to be "one of the few original parts of the precious manuscript that have survived," said Todd Mesek, CMA's chief marketing officer, as reported by WYSO. This return is part of a broader effort by museums to scrutinize their collections, often leading to repatriations as new information comes to light on the origins of specific artifacts.
The CMA and Italy’s Ministry of Culture forged a cultural cooperation agreement in 2008, which facilitated the return of this artwork and 14 other objects to Italy. "We appreciate the care that the Cleveland Museum of Art has taken to preserve this manuscript over many years and their willingness to work with the ministry to determine the best outcome for all concerned," said Dr. Paolo D’Angeli, head of the culture ministry's department for general administration, as reported to WKYC.
Details regarding the physical transfer of the item are currently being worked out between the respective parties. Emphasizing collaboration and cultural exchange, Dr. William M. Griswold, director of the Cleveland Museum of Art, told cleveland.com, "We are pleased with the outreach and open dialogue, and I look forward to future cultural cooperation with our colleagues in the Ministry of Culture." The ongoing dialogue showcases a model for international cooperation and ethical stewardship in art.
