2007年VOA标准英语-Italy Calls Agreement With Getty Museum to Retu

By Sabina Castelfranco
Rome
02 August 2007

Italy's culture minister is calling an accord reached with the J. Paul Getty Museum for the return of 40 ancient artifacts "historic" and a victory for artistic¹ ethics². Sabina Castelfranco reports from Rome that Francesco Rutelli also says it is a blow to looters and art traffickers worldwide.

Francesco Rutelli gives a press conference on a deal reached with the J. Paul Getty Museum, 2 Aug 2007

Negotiations³ between the J. Paul Getty Museum and Italian culture authorities had been underway for a year and a half. The aim was to reach agreement on the return of antiquities⁴ that Italy says were stolen.

Italy's Culture Ministry⁵ had threatened to suspend all collaboration⁶ with the Getty, a major U.S art institution, if an agreement was not reached.

The museum, in Los Angeles, has always denied making illegal purchases, but it agreed to return 40 pieces, said by Italian authorities to have been illegally trafficked out of the country.

Culture Minister Francesco Rutelli says the agreement on these 40 works is a great success for Italy, for culture, and also for those museums that have decided⁷ to turn a page and return what they acquired through non-transparent means.

He called the deal a victory for "shared ethics on artistic heritage," and he said the U.S. administration also helped to reach the agreement although he did not elaborate.

Rutelli said that although the deal is a blow to art traffickers worldwide, it makes looting more attractive because it raises the value of the booty. Fewer pieces available for trafficking also mean a higher price for them.

The agreement is reported to include ancient Greek marble sculptures, red and black figured vessels⁸, and fragments of frescoes⁹.

It provides for widespread cultural cooperation, including loans of other treasures to the Getty. Under the accord, the museum gets to keep a key artifact until 2010, a limestone¹⁰ and marble statue of the goddess Aphrodite. The others will be returned by December 31st this year.

Despite the accord, the fate of some pieces is still pending¹¹. Italy and the Getty disagree on the "Statue of a Victorious¹² Athlete," a Greek bronze believed to date from around the fourth century B.C.

Talks on the statue are set to resume after an Italian court case concerning the object. The Getty says the statue was found in international waters.

The deal is not expected to affect the trial of a former Getty curator and an American art dealer¹³. They are on trial in Rome, charged with having knowingly received stolen Italian archeological treasures.

The deal between Italy and the Getty Museum is the third Italy has reached with a major U.S. institution, since Italian authorities launched a worldwide campaign to recover looted treasures.

The Metropolitan¹⁴ Museum of Art in New York and the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston have agreed to return key parts of their classical collections in return for loans of of important works in Italian collections.

1 artistic   

adj.艺术(家)的，美术(家)的；善于艺术创作的

参考例句：

• The picture on this screen is a good artistic work.这屏风上的画是件很好的艺术品。
• These artistic handicrafts are very popular with foreign friends.外国朋友很喜欢这些美术工艺品。

2 ethics   

n.伦理学；伦理观，道德标准

参考例句：

• The ethics of his profession don't permit him to do that.他的职业道德不允许他那样做。
• Personal ethics and professional ethics sometimes conflict.个人道德和职业道德有时会相互抵触。

3 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

4 antiquities   

n.古老( antiquity的名词复数 )；古迹；古人们；古代的风俗习惯

参考例句：

• There is rest and healing in the contemplation of antiquities. 欣赏古物有休息和疗养之功。 来自辞典例句
• Bertha developed a fine enthusiasm for the antiquities of London. 伯沙对伦敦的古迹产生了很大的热情。 来自辞典例句

5 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

6 collaboration   

n.合作，协作；勾结

参考例句：

• The two companies are working in close collaboration each other.这两家公司密切合作。
• He was shot for collaboration with the enemy.他因通敌而被枪毙了。

7 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

8 vessels   

n.血管( vessel的名词复数 )；船；容器；（具有特殊品质或接受特殊品质的）人

参考例句：

• The river is navigable by vessels of up to 90 tons. 90 吨以下的船只可以从这条河通过。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• All modern vessels of any size are fitted with radar installations. 所有现代化船只都有雷达装置。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

9 frescoes   

n.壁画( fresco的名词复数 )；温壁画技法，湿壁画

参考例句：

• The Dunhuang frescoes are gems of ancient Chinese art. 敦煌壁画是我国古代艺术中的瑰宝。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• The frescoes in these churches are magnificent. 这些教堂里的壁画富丽堂皇。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 limestone   

n.石灰石

参考例句：

• Limestone is often used in building construction.石灰岩常用于建筑。
• Cement is made from limestone.水泥是由石灰石制成的。

11 pending   

prep.直到，等待…期间；adj.待定的；迫近的

参考例句：

• The lawsuit is still pending in the state court.这案子仍在州法庭等待定夺。
• He knew my examination was pending.他知道我就要考试了。

12 victorious   

adj.胜利的，得胜的

参考例句：

• We are certain to be victorious.我们定会胜利。
• The victorious army returned in triumph.获胜的部队凯旋而归。

13 dealer   

n.商人，贩子

参考例句：

• The dealer spent hours bargaining for the painting.那个商人为购买那幅画花了几个小时讨价还价。
• The dealer reduced the price for cash down.这家商店对付现金的人减价优惠。

14 metropolitan   

adj.大城市的，大都会的

参考例句：

• Metropolitan buildings become taller than ever.大城市的建筑变得比以前更高。
• Metropolitan residents are used to fast rhythm.大都市的居民习惯于快节奏。