Cleveland Museum of Art to Transfer Ptolemaic Statue of a Man to State of Libya

Tripoli, Libya and Cleveland, Ohio (USA) (May 29, 2024)–The Department of Antiquities of the State of Libya and the Cleveland Museum of Art today announced an agreement in principle for the transfer of a Ptolemaic statue of a man to the State of Libya. 

The statue is a black basalt figure acquired by the CMA in 1991. Based on new information provided by the Department of Antiquities and research undertaken at the CMA, the museum voluntarily recognizes the statue as the property of Libya. For a period of time, the Department of Antiquities has generously lent the work to the museum. In addition, the museum and the department are exploring areas for future collaboration.

“We appreciate the willingness of the Cleveland Museum of Art to work with the department in accomplishing the transfer of this important work,” said Mohamed Faraj Mohamed, head of the Department of Antiquities of the State of Libya. “We look forward to continued cooperation with the museum.”

William M. Griswold, director of the Cleveland Museum of Art, noted, “We are very pleased with the collaboration and open dialogue we have had with our colleagues in Libya and look forward to the opportunity for enhanced cultural exchange that our agreement with them represents.”

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About the Cleveland Museum of Art

The Cleveland Museum of Art is renowned for the quality and breadth of its collection, which includes more than 63,000 artworks and spans 6,000 years of achievement in the arts. The museum is a significant international forum for exhibitions, scholarship, and performing arts and is a leader in digital innovations. One of the top comprehensive art museums in the nation, recognized for its award-winning open access program and free of charge to all, the Cleveland Museum of Art is located in the University Circle neighborhood.

The museum is supported in part by residents of Cuyahoga County through a public grant from Cuyahoga Arts & Culture and made possible in part by the Ohio Arts Council (OAC), which receives support from the State of Ohio and the National Endowment for the Arts. The OAC is a state agency that funds and supports quality arts experiences to strengthen Ohio communities culturally, educationally, and economically. For more information about the museum and its holdings, programs, and events, call 888-CMA-0033 or visit cma.org.