Almost two hundred years after they were "purchased" from Greece, the finest and most famous marbles of antiquity still remain a burning issue. This compelling, controversial story of the Elgin marbles re-creates in full and colorful detail "the greatest art theft in history," a steamy tale of obsession, intrigue, adultery, and ruin. As the British ambassador to the Sublime Porte in Constantinople, Lord Elgin encountered in his endeavors some of the most famous names of nineteenth-century history: Napoleon, Sultan Selim III, Lord Nelson, Lord Byron, and Keats. Drawing on original source material letters, diaries, official government reports, and memoranda, Vrettos brilliantly brings to life these fascinating stories.
The True Story of the Greatest Theft in HistoryBook InformationISBN 9781611453157
Author Theodore VrettosFormat Paperback
Page Count 256
Imprint Arcade PublishingPublisher Skyhorse Publishing
Weight(grams) 358g
Dimensions(mm) 229mm * 152mm * 20mm