Armenian Genocide Looted Art and the Story of the Armenian Genocide Restitution Movement: A Tribute

Authors

Armen Manuk-Khaloyan, Georgetown University
Michael Bazyler, Chapman University Fowler School of LawFollow
Kathryn Lee Boyd, Victoria Associates

Abstract

This Article explores the emergence and development of the Armenian Genocide Restitution Movement and its founder, Vartkes Yeghiayan, with particular focus on legal efforts to recover looted cultural and private property. Drawing on case law, historical research, and interdisciplinary analysis, the authors examine how U.S. courts have been used to pursue redress for mass atrocity crimes, including lawsuits against insurance companies, corporations, and sovereign entities. Central to the discussion is the Zeytun Gospels case, the first major attempt to reclaim art looted during the Armenian Genocide, which highlights the complex interplay of law, history, and cultural identity in restitution efforts. The Article also introduces the Armenian Genocide Looted Art (AGLA) project, a collaborative initiative aimed at documenting and recovering cultural heritage displaced by genocide. Through this lens, this Article addresses the legal, ethical, and historical challenges of pursuing justice long after mass atrocity.

Recommended Citation

Armen Manuk-Khaloyan, Michael Bazyler & Kathryn L. Boyd, Armenian Genocide Looted Art and the Story of the Armenian Genocide Restitution Movement: A Tribute, 28 Chap. L. Rev. 553 (2025).
Available at: https://digitalcommons.chapman.edu/chapman-law-review/vol28/iss3/4