H. de Roos - The critique of the toronto exhibition


2. THE PLASTERS WOULD NOT BE ORIGINAL - QUESTIONS OF PROVENANCE (2)

THE ROLE OF THE GRUPPO MONDIALE EST.

A part of the Musée Rodin´s opposition indeed may come from the fact this donated collection was originally created by the Gruppo Mondiale Est. in Italy, that has been promoting its collection through its Website www.rodin-art.com and through the related Rodin Foundation and that - even after the transfer of the plasters to Canada - continues to offer its posthumous casts to collectors at lower prices the Musée Rodin charges for its authorized editions.

 


Brochure issued by Gruppo Mondiale Est.


"....Using the original plasters"

 

What made things worse was that this connection was not frankly disclosed. Still in June 2000, the MacLaren Museum flatly denied to me the Gruppo Mondiale had anything to do with this donation. Only days before the Symposium I learned that the Gruppo Mondiale at that time did not want to have any publicity about its role. But since this holding has operated its own Internet platform for years to promote this collection, and even the name of the Toronto exhibition is identical to the motto of the G.M.E. brochure, the connection could easily be detected, raising more doubt than if it had been disclosed upfront: 

And since the Gruppo Mondiale Est is globally advertizing its bronzes and posthumous casts itself through the Internet and public exhibitions - like in Italy - and since their well-known photo materials are used on the ROM Website now, any effort to be secretive about this connection raises suspicions and casts a shadow on the intelligence and integrity of your Museum´s conduct.

[From a letter to William Moore, 27 October 2001]

By now, the MacLaren has apologized and explained to me that in June, it had been bound by the demand of the Gruppo Mondiale, a wish dropped only later after the press had discovered this connection as well.

 

 

 

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