Original scientific paper
The Repossesion of the Stolen Ivory Plenarium from the USA to the Zagreb Cathedral Treasury 1929/1930
Hrvoje Čapo
orcid.org/0000-0001-6834-0878
; Croatian Institute of History, Zagreb
Abstract
The 'Ivory Plenarium' is the oldest item of the Zagreb Cathedral Treasury and is dated back to the 11th century. As of the summer of 1929 it was revealed that the Zagreb Ivory Plenarium original was stolen sometime between 1925 and 1927 and replaced by a forgery. The missing original was soon discovered as the property of the Cleveland Museum of Art (Ohio). A diplomatic action of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia began in order of return the Zagreb Ivory Plenarium. This caused a vibrant diplomatic correspondence and efforts of the US State Department, as well. The author examines diplomatic efforts of both of the involved sides in order to protect their interests, as well as the transnational influence of the Zagreb Ivory Plenarium, both the US-Yugoslav relationship and inter-Yugoslav one. The Ivory Plenarium was returned to Zagreb by May, 1930.
However, regarding the specific political phase during that time (the dictatorship of King Aleksandar Karađorđević, 1929-1934) in the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, the formal identity of the ivory plenarium as the 'art treasure' was overburden. With the revealing of the Ivory Plenarium forgery the discontent of the Yugoslav kingdom was revealed, as well. While the State (the King) was obtruding the Unitarian nationality of the Integral Yugoslavism 'from above' by which the Ivory Plenarium became the Yugoslav 'national treasure' symbol, which was visible 'from bellow' was that such an identity was dispersed as much from the national (Croatian) to local, Zagrebian.
Keywords
Ivory Plenarium; Zagreb Cathedral Treasury; Kingdom of Yugoslavia; United States of America; 1929/1930
Hrčak ID:
178971
URI
Publication date:
30.3.2017.
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