Lord Elgin and the Marbles

Lord Elgin and the Marbles by St. Clair, William. paperback edition. ISBN: 9780192880536.

Based on a detailed study of both original records and recent discoveries, Lord Elgin and the Marbles is the authoritative historical account of the extraordinary circumstances in which the Elgin Marbles were acquired, of the tremendous impact which they made on modern appreciation of Greek art, and of the bitter reaction of Napoleon, Byron, and many others to their appropriation. In the concluding chapters of his book, St. Clair adds further fuel to the controversy by revealing for the first time some disturbing details about the treatment of the Marbles while in the British Museums care, and of the British Museums response to public concerns about this important cultural artefact.