Italy's Rutelli Threatens Getty With Sanctions

Object of Contention: "Victorious Youth," Greek, 300 - 100 B.C., J. Paul Getty Museum

After a quiet period, The Great Repatriator is on the warpath against the J. Paul Getty Museum again. The Associated Press has the story here.

But a much more illuminating account comes from ANSA, the Italian news agency, which reports:

[Italian Culture Minister] Francesco Rutelli reiterated a threat to break off relations with [the Getty] unless all the disputed objects came home by the end of this month.

If it failed to do so, he said, "a fully fledged conflict would be unleashed, a full-scale embargo" that would mean "an end to cultural and scientific collaboration between Italy and this museum."

Rutelli announced that he had sent the Getty his "final proposal for dialogue and agreement." Is this final proposal more final than his last final proposal?

Ron Hartwig, the Getty's vice president for communications, is putting a good face on these developments. He told CultureGrrl:

The Minister and [Getty Museum director] Michael [Brand] have exchanged letters. We are encouraged that communication has resumed and we are hopeful we can reach an agreement. But at this point there is not much more to report.

For my detailed analysis of this hot-button issue, go here.

In a related story, I've several times asked Princeton if the agreement that Rutelli announced last month in New York has actually been signed, but so far there's been no change from what Cass Cliatt, the university's media relations manager, told me two weeks ago: "We are in final negotiations."

And that's final...at least for now.