Museum Worthy

“Elizabeth Campbell examines the way in which American and European historians have explained the pillage of artworks by the Nazis and how this research has encouraged European museums and public institutions to look at their collections in a new ethical light. Her research examines the various ways in which public collections are seeking just and fair solutions by doing detailed provenance research. Campbell's far-ranging new book not only builds upon Lynn Nicholas's groundbreaking work, The Rape of Europa, but enlarges its scope.” - Emmanuelle Polack, art historian “A thought-provoking monograph on the transnational history of looted art in the Holocaust. Elizabeth Campbell argues that the main West European museums left the work of restitution intentionally unfinished, in order to enrich their collections. In its comparative approach between France, Belgium and the Netherlands, this book explains why the restitution process of looted art is still ongoing today.” -Jean-Marc Dreyfus, author of The Goering Catalogue “In Museum Worthy, Elizabeth Campbell offers a sweeping history of the unprecedented art restitution efforts emerging from the Nazi era: from the early Allied campaign of 'Monuments Men' * and she stresses, Womento the most recent litigation concerning high priced Nazi looted art. In her deeper analysis of art restitution in Western Europe and the United States, Campbell explains the frustrations and loss of momentum for many years, but also the tangible and important achievements for Holocaust victims, especially beginning in the mid-1990s. Campbell's nuanced and gripping account helps explain why, after more than 75 years, there is so much unfinished business regarding Holocaust era assets.” -Jonathan Petropoulos, John V. Croul Professor of European History, Claremont McKenna College *