‘The Met Makes a Swap’

Regarding “The Met Makes a Swap” [Arts & Letters, January 11-13, 2008].

The headline of the notice that the Metropolitan Museum is shipping back to Italy the Euphronios Krater they bought three decades ago — is misleading its readers, by using the wrong word: “swap.” This is a “taking” by the Italian government of this magnificent Krater.

The Italians are using a suitably fitting fascist law, instituted by Mussolini, to disarm the leaders at the Met and other museums.

The idea that this is a “swap” because the Met will get to display a few Italian goodies for a few years is just masquerading.

The idea of cultural patrimony (government “property rights” to cultural objects) put forth by the United Nations, Mussolini, and others is, at bottom, a communistic concept that each government “owns” all the cultural artifacts in its boundaries.

This needs to be challenged by curators and museum directors.

JOHN GILLIS
New York, N.Y.

‘Not My Mitfords’

Regarding “Not My Mitfords” [Opinion, January 11-13, 2008].

While decrying the anti-Semitism of the Mitford family, Rita Kramer failed to note that Jessica Mitford’s second husband, beloved second husband, was a Jew. When Diana (Mrs. Mosley), late in the day, tried to re-establish relations with Jessica and invited her to visit and bring her son, Jessica demurred saying Diana might turn her son into a lampshade.

Not all of the Mitfords loathed Jews. That should have been mentioned.

BEATRICE WILLIAMS-RUDE
New York, N.Y.

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