Pryce, Frederick Norman

Date born:  1888

Place Born:  

Date died: 1953

Place died:

Keeper of the Department of Greek and Roman Antiquities, British Museum; the curator held principally responsible for the disastrous "cleaning" of the Elgin Marbles incident in 1937-1939.  In 1935 he revised The Grandeur that was Rome, a survey originally written by J. C. Stobart (1878-1933). In 1936 Pryce became Keeper of the department of Greek and Roman Antiquities. Under Pryce the cleaning of the Elgin Marbles was resumed. The Elgin Marbles had periodically been washed throughout their history in England.  In1932 the group was cleaned again.  In the summer of 1937 fourteen blocks of north frieze and the west frieze block II  were taken down and their plaster and Portland stone restorations removed.  A second "cleaning" of the stones occurred and the group was replaced exhibit.  This phase of cleaning continued through 1938.

Home Country:  United Kingdom

Sources: The British Museum. section 2. "Cleaning of the Sculptures 1811-1936."  http://www.thebritishmuseum.ac.uk/parthenon/2.html

Bibliography: Corpus vasorum antiquorum. Great Britain. British Museum. Department of Greek and Roman antiquities.  London: The Museum, fasicule 7. 1932; revised, Stobart, John Clarke. The Grandeur that was Rome: a Survey of Roman Culture and Civilisation. New York: D. Appleton-Century, 1935.