Hague Convention

Regarding Jean Portell's message earlier today regarding the Hague
Convention ("The UNESCO Convention for the Protection of Cultural
Property in the Event of Armed Conflict," signed at the Hague in
1954), let me recommend an article by the past director of the Getty
Conservation Institute, Miquel Angel Corzo, easily the best thing I
have read on the subject.  In a few, succinct pages, the article
presents the historical and philosophical background for the Hague
Convention, its recent history and deeply seated problems (the
incompatibility of the document with reality).  Corzo ends with a
number of specific recommendations for improving the document and
its implementation--altogether an impressive and inspiring
statement.

The paper was published in a thick volume,

    Materials Issues in Art and Archaeology III
    Material Research Society Symposium Proceedings
    Volume 267
    edited by Pamela B. Vandiver, James R. Druzik, George Segan
    Wheeler, and Ian C. Freestone (Pittsburgh: Material Research
    Society, 1992), pages 5-15.

If it is not in your institution's library it should be.  The
current Books in Print lists it for $62.

Charles S. Rhyne
Professor Emeritus, Art History
Reed College
3203 S.E. Woodstock Blvd.
Portland, OR  97202-8199
503-771-1112  X7469
Fax: 503-788-6691

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                  Conservation DistList Instance 12:63
                 Distributed: Monday, February 1, 1999
                       Message Id: cdl-12-63-002
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