In a review published on Sunday, the Dallas Morning News calls Chasing Aphrodite “a fascinating look at the long-standing ‘institutional hypocrisy’ of the acquisition policy of major American Museums.”
“Felch and Frammolino were relentless in their uncovering of the Getty’s various other lapses: they peer into the infighting and ‘sexually charged Getty culture,’ ferreting out details in the museum’s governance, as well as the extravagant personal use of the Getty’s funds by its most flamboyant director, Barry Munitz, a former chancellor of the California State University system. All of which makes for a page-turner.”
Interesting side-note: the reviewer Kathryn Lang was a docent at the Kimbell Art Museum in Ft. Worth, which has an impressive collection of ancient art. Lang does not mention the fact, but several suspect dealers in the book helped the Kimbell form its collection. Among the ancient objects at the museum are a Greek vase purchased from Robin Symes (the dealer who sold the Getty its looted statue of Aphrodite) and several objects from Elie Borowski, whose name appears prominently in a chart of the illicit antiquities trade seized by Italian police. (See Chasing Aphrodite, p. 151)
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CHASING APHRODITE 