I'm sure everyone is scrambling to find you the text in various Museum
Ethics documents, but this should be considered VERY unethical.  You say
that you are associated with a major non-profit, but not what your
status is.  Unless you are privately owned, your museum is holding this
art in trust for the public.  Unless the donor is going to allow the
public into his house until 2010, you are betraying that trust.  

Greg 

-----Original Message-----
From: Museum discussion list [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On
Behalf Of Liz B
Sent: Thursday, June 05, 2008 10:07 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [MUSEUM-L] Art Loans to Individuals?

Hello,
I am the Curator at a museum associated with a major national
non-profit. Our 
museum has a large art collection including many paintings by Norman 
Rockwell. We typically only loan these works to other museums, but this
week 
I was asked (or should I say told) to loan one of the Rockwells to a
large $$ 
donor to display in his home until 2010. I offered other solutions such
as 
having a very high quality reproduction made for him to keep, but this
was 
rejected. All of my explanations as to why this is a bad idea are
laughed off 
and I am made to feel that I am overreacting. The painting was promised
to 
the donor by our Fundraising Division with no consultation to the
museum. My 
director understands my reluctance, but is not willing to put her foot
down 
and say no to them. Does anyone know of any type of formal written 
statement issued by a museum organization that says this is a no-no? I
have 
searched but was unable to find anything official. I am so worried about
the 
door we are opening if we go through with this loan! Am I overreacting
in this 
situation?? Anyone dealt with anything similar and have any suggestions?

Thanks,
Liz

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