Jelena Subotic
@jelenasubotic.bsky.social
I play tennis and I write books. I hate pickleball.
https://jsubotic.com
I have a new book! "The Art of Status: Looted Treasures and the Global Politics of Restitution" https://global.oup.com/academic/product/the-art-of-status-9780198909750?lang=3n&cc=at#
https://jsubotic.com
I have a new book! "The Art of Status: Looted Treasures and the Global Politics of Restitution" https://global.oup.com/academic/product/the-art-of-status-9780198909750?lang=3n&cc=at#
This is so incredibly dumb and a waste of everyone’s time and money.
October 1, 2025 at 5:15 PM
This is so incredibly dumb and a waste of everyone’s time and money.
I have an earnest post (sorry!) My son lost his grandma this week and when he came back to his dorm after the funeral he found a sympathy card signed by his roommates and a bunch of other kids from the dorm. This kind of thing simply did not happen in my generation. The kids are really alright.
September 23, 2025 at 4:37 PM
I have an earnest post (sorry!) My son lost his grandma this week and when he came back to his dorm after the funeral he found a sympathy card signed by his roommates and a bunch of other kids from the dorm. This kind of thing simply did not happen in my generation. The kids are really alright.
My book is up and about in the world or, at least, in Vancouver.
September 14, 2025 at 3:23 PM
My book is up and about in the world or, at least, in Vancouver.
I regret to inform you that my son is busy annoying his college professors by promoting both @gsqjournal.bsky.social AND my war against AI. Good boy.
September 11, 2025 at 3:14 PM
I regret to inform you that my son is busy annoying his college professors by promoting both @gsqjournal.bsky.social AND my war against AI. Good boy.
I managed to trace most of these paintings to their original owners. Serbia continues to argue nothing to see here, this is "just reparation." This flies in the face of any contemporary understanding of restitution especially in clear cases of Nazi looted art!
Thanks for following. Buy my book!
Thanks for following. Buy my book!
August 31, 2025 at 2:40 PM
I managed to trace most of these paintings to their original owners. Serbia continues to argue nothing to see here, this is "just reparation." This flies in the face of any contemporary understanding of restitution especially in clear cases of Nazi looted art!
Thanks for following. Buy my book!
Thanks for following. Buy my book!
But I have receipts. I found lists of this shipment in the archives which partly show where the paintings were taken from. A few paintings were taken from the Rothschild collection in Paris, for example.
August 31, 2025 at 2:40 PM
But I have receipts. I found lists of this shipment in the archives which partly show where the paintings were taken from. A few paintings were taken from the Rothschild collection in Paris, for example.
In 2016, Italian government determined some of the art in this collection was looted by Nazis in Italy and should be returned, including this Carpaccio. The National Museum was 🤷♀️
August 31, 2025 at 2:40 PM
In 2016, Italian government determined some of the art in this collection was looted by Nazis in Italy and should be returned, including this Carpaccio. The National Museum was 🤷♀️
As the war was ending, Nazis moved this hoard into various hiding spots in Germany, Austria and elsewhere. After liberation, the Allies consolidated these discovered artworks into a Central Collection Point (CCP) in Munich, and started to figure out who the art belonged to and how to send it back.
August 31, 2025 at 2:40 PM
As the war was ending, Nazis moved this hoard into various hiding spots in Germany, Austria and elsewhere. After liberation, the Allies consolidated these discovered artworks into a Central Collection Point (CCP) in Munich, and started to figure out who the art belonged to and how to send it back.
I begin this chapter with a familiar story of the massive art looting by the Nazis, who stole from the Jews, of course, but also from various museums and collections in all the countries they occupied. Peak looting was in France, as that was where most valuable art was. They hoarded at the Louvre👇
August 31, 2025 at 2:40 PM
I begin this chapter with a familiar story of the massive art looting by the Nazis, who stole from the Jews, of course, but also from various museums and collections in all the countries they occupied. Peak looting was in France, as that was where most valuable art was. They hoarded at the Louvre👇
More book📚talk! Today I get to my favorite chapter in the book, where I did a lot of detective sleuthing to figure out how, exactly, a collection of valuable art looted by the Nazis throughout Europe ended up as prized possessions of the National Museum of Serbia in Belgrade. Mini thread 👇
August 31, 2025 at 2:40 PM
More book📚talk! Today I get to my favorite chapter in the book, where I did a lot of detective sleuthing to figure out how, exactly, a collection of valuable art looted by the Nazis throughout Europe ended up as prized possessions of the National Museum of Serbia in Belgrade. Mini thread 👇
In the early 20th century a competition for these objects emerged between museums in Germany, France, Sweden, Britain. They came to be seen as artifacts, not just objects of some weird African custom. They were greatly influential on European art, esp. so-called "primitivism" of early Picasso etc.
August 30, 2025 at 2:35 PM
In the early 20th century a competition for these objects emerged between museums in Germany, France, Sweden, Britain. They came to be seen as artifacts, not just objects of some weird African custom. They were greatly influential on European art, esp. so-called "primitivism" of early Picasso etc.
The Bronzes were looted by the British army during the bloody "expedition" to the Kingdom of Benin in 1897. There was killing and there was burning, and officers took things for themselves, but most of it came back to London and was at the British Museum.
August 30, 2025 at 2:35 PM
The Bronzes were looted by the British army during the bloody "expedition" to the Kingdom of Benin in 1897. There was killing and there was burning, and officers took things for themselves, but most of it came back to London and was at the British Museum.
Hello everyone, more book talk! Today, I'll tell you about Benin Bronzes, a collection of objects looted from Benin (today's Nigeria) in the 19th century, and today dispersed across the world. Through this case I talk both about the international competition to get them, and today to return them.
August 30, 2025 at 2:35 PM
Hello everyone, more book talk! Today, I'll tell you about Benin Bronzes, a collection of objects looted from Benin (today's Nigeria) in the 19th century, and today dispersed across the world. Through this case I talk both about the international competition to get them, and today to return them.
See you tomorrow when I'll talk about the looting and return of the Benin Bronzes! Thanks for following along.
August 29, 2025 at 4:32 PM
See you tomorrow when I'll talk about the looting and return of the Benin Bronzes! Thanks for following along.
Since Elgin brought the Parthenon Marbles to Britain, they have been housed at the British Museum, which continues to refuse to give them back. But this was controversial even at the time of Elgin's looting and he was summoned to the House of Commons to explain himself.
August 29, 2025 at 4:32 PM
Since Elgin brought the Parthenon Marbles to Britain, they have been housed at the British Museum, which continues to refuse to give them back. But this was controversial even at the time of Elgin's looting and he was summoned to the House of Commons to explain himself.
Elgin loved Greece plenty, but what he really loved was status, so he concocted the plan to take Greek antiquities from Athens to London, impress the British Crown and become a Lord. In 1800, he sent a team of excavators to Athens to start taking stuff. This was documented by contemporary artists.
August 29, 2025 at 4:32 PM
Elgin loved Greece plenty, but what he really loved was status, so he concocted the plan to take Greek antiquities from Athens to London, impress the British Crown and become a Lord. In 1800, he sent a team of excavators to Athens to start taking stuff. This was documented by contemporary artists.
Elgin was a devoted philhellene, a big thing at the turn of the 19th century. The most famous philhellene of them all was the poet Lord Byron, who loved Greece so much that he died in battle during Greek independence war. Here's Byron looking like a Williamsburg hipster.
August 29, 2025 at 4:32 PM
Elgin was a devoted philhellene, a big thing at the turn of the 19th century. The most famous philhellene of them all was the poet Lord Byron, who loved Greece so much that he died in battle during Greek independence war. Here's Byron looking like a Williamsburg hipster.
Hi everyone, when I talked about my new book on looted art yesterday, I left you with Napoleon. Today, let me tell you about another hero of the book, Lord Thomas Elgin. He did a lot of stealing. A bit of a thread 👇
August 29, 2025 at 4:32 PM
Hi everyone, when I talked about my new book on looted art yesterday, I left you with Napoleon. Today, let me tell you about another hero of the book, Lord Thomas Elgin. He did a lot of stealing. A bit of a thread 👇
And for those who argue today that looting was fine at the time and we think of it as criminal from our contemporary woke social justice vantage point - people were pissed at Napoleon even then! The British press published cartoons mocking Napoleon's thieving. It was considered wrong then too!
August 28, 2025 at 1:01 PM
And for those who argue today that looting was fine at the time and we think of it as criminal from our contemporary woke social justice vantage point - people were pissed at Napoleon even then! The British press published cartoons mocking Napoleon's thieving. It was considered wrong then too!
Napoleon stole the Rosetta Stone from Egypt but the British army intercepted it and stole it from him, so the Rosetta Stone is now at the British Museum. Thieves stealing from thieves!
August 28, 2025 at 1:01 PM
Napoleon stole the Rosetta Stone from Egypt but the British army intercepted it and stole it from him, so the Rosetta Stone is now at the British Museum. Thieves stealing from thieves!
Napoleon wanted to get stuff from Egypt too. He sent a group of experts (savants) to find the most important antiques. Here the competition kicked in between imperial France and Britain. Everybody wanted old shit. Everybody wanted to be the heir to classical civilizations. Status competition!
August 28, 2025 at 1:01 PM
Napoleon wanted to get stuff from Egypt too. He sent a group of experts (savants) to find the most important antiques. Here the competition kicked in between imperial France and Britain. Everybody wanted old shit. Everybody wanted to be the heir to classical civilizations. Status competition!
Most of this stuff ended up at the Louvre, and then some was distributed to provincial museums in France. The foundations of Louvre's incredible collections are, to a great extent, the result of Napoleonic looting. Sorry, but it's true.
August 28, 2025 at 1:01 PM
Most of this stuff ended up at the Louvre, and then some was distributed to provincial museums in France. The foundations of Louvre's incredible collections are, to a great extent, the result of Napoleonic looting. Sorry, but it's true.
He instructed his army to take everything of value from places he conquered, but especially from Italy as he wanted Paris "to be the new Rome." After these looting campaigns the French army had a parade displaying all the stuff they stole. The French public cheered.
August 28, 2025 at 1:01 PM
He instructed his army to take everything of value from places he conquered, but especially from Italy as he wanted Paris "to be the new Rome." After these looting campaigns the French army had a parade displaying all the stuff they stole. The French public cheered.
Good morning, everyone. After introducing my book about looted art yesterday, let me tell you more about what's in there. Today is about Napoleon. Napoleon stole a lot of shit, no really, it was insane. In fact, the era of systematic state-sponsored looting on mass scale began with Napoleon. thread👇
August 28, 2025 at 1:01 PM
Good morning, everyone. After introducing my book about looted art yesterday, let me tell you more about what's in there. Today is about Napoleon. Napoleon stole a lot of shit, no really, it was insane. In fact, the era of systematic state-sponsored looting on mass scale began with Napoleon. thread👇
So over the next few days I want to tell you a little bit about my new @oxfordacademic.bsky.social book about looted art. The book is about art so there are many great pictures! A very short, mini-thread 👇
August 27, 2025 at 3:12 PM
So over the next few days I want to tell you a little bit about my new @oxfordacademic.bsky.social book about looted art. The book is about art so there are many great pictures! A very short, mini-thread 👇