An exhibition of ancient treasures from Sicily that had been abruptly canceled last month is back on the fall schedule of the Cleveland Museum of Art after the museum and Sicilian officials ironed out a dispute over money.
The show, “Sicily: Art and Invention Between Greece and Rome,†had been at the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles and was scheduled to open in Cleveland on Sept. 29, when Sicilian officials complained that the absence of its treasured artifacts was hurting the Italian island's tourism.
Culture officials on the island complained in particular about the absence of two items, a six-foot-tall statue of a charioteer and a gold libation bowl. Sicilian officials had initially tried to extract more than the agreed upon amount of reimbursement from the Cleveland museum, but officials there demurred and the show was canceled. But on Friday, the museum said the exhibition was back on and “coming to Cleveland under terms that are consistent with the agreements previously reached.â€
To sweeten the deal, the museum has agreed to lend several masterworks from the museum's Italian art collection, including Caravaggio's “Crucifixion of Saint Andrew,†for an exhibition in Sicily in 2015. “Our discussions with the government of Sicily resulted in a very favorable agreement that will benefit both the museum and the Sicilian public,†David Franklin, the museum's director, said in a statement.
