About the Author

Joseph L. Sax is Professor of Law, University of California, Berkeley. He was formerly the counselor to the Secretary of the Interior and Professor of Law, the University of Michigan Law School.

Reviews

This book should be required reading for all those with an interest in the preservation of cultural heritage."
—Patrick O'Keefe, International Journal of Cultural Property, Volume 9, No. 2 (2000)

"In one horror story after another, Joseph L. Sax illustrates what many historians have concluded anecdotally: the owners of manuscript and art collections in the United States have almost 'unqualified' ownership of their materials. The abuses of that 'unbridled power' have become legendary. . . . Few historians will contest his argument that the nation must be a better steward of its past. Though some may debate his finer points, his proposals are, by and large, sensible, prudent, and convincing."
—James M. Lindgren, SUNY, Plattsburgh, Journal of American History, December 2000

"Wittily written with an eye for human foibles, this survey is chock full of illustrative incidents. . . . Sax advocates public access, but. . . gives wide latitude to creators themselves, and some even to their heirs. He throws down gauntlet to librarians, curators and archivists, however: material should either be closed to everyone for a reasonable period, or open to all adults. It's a stirring argument."
—Publishers Weekly, June 28, 1999

". . . a valuable contribution to understanding which parties have, and should have, rights in key objects that comprise our collective heritage. . . . Although I disagree with Professor Sax on several key points, I recommend Playing Darts with a Rembrandt highly to anyone who has an interest in the handling of important cultural treasures. It is clearly written, full of information about key instances and relevant laws, and sensitive to unique considerations with different kinds of cultural treasures. It provides not a single approach but many possible approaches to the multitude of problems it describes. Finally,, it has a tone of modesty, making no claims of providing a final answer to the array of provocative questions it raises and explores so well."
—Jason Y. Hall, American Association of Museums, Michigan Law Review, May 2000

"Sax turns his attention from public rights to conserve land and water to protection of cultural treasures. As always, he sees both sides of the argument and comes to reasoned and wise conclusions, balancing private and public interests. His prose is lucid, and his examples are both instructive and entertaining. An invaluable book for anyone interested in the preservation of our cultural resources."
—I. Michael Heyman, Secretary, Smithsonian Institution

". . . awakens the reader to the variety of cultural circumstances that bring private and civic values into conflict. And it heightens one's respect for the potential of the law—or of legal thinkers such as Sax—to resolve such conflicts reasonably."
—Kenneth Baker, San Francisco Chronicle Book Review

"Sax avoids easy answers and is leery of doctrinaire attempts at a general settlement. . . . While tailoring his recommendations to particular situations, he is resolute on one point: Some public rights in matters relating to the preservation of public art must be recognized. The market alone is ill-suited to protecting historically important objects and should not be entrusted with the task. . . . At a moment when the market is widely believed to be all-powerful, Sax's argument is timely indeed."
—Adrian Johns, University of California, San Diego, Civilization, August/September 1999

"In the end, Sax is less concerned about [particular] issues than he is about raising in a salient and a provocative manner this important set of issues and reframing them in a way that he believes will help shape a more profitable public debate. . . . In helping us to understand this he has succeeded admirably."
—J. Mark Schuster, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

This book should be required reading for all those with an interest in the preservation of cultural heritage."
-Patrick O'Keefe, International Journal of Cultural Property, Volume 9, No. 2 (2000)

"In one horror story after another, Joseph L. Sax illustrates what many historians have concluded anecdotally: the owners of manuscript and art collections in the United States have almost 'unqualified' ownership of their materials. The abuses of that 'unbridled power' have become legendary. . . . Few historians will contest his argument that the nation must be a better steward of its past. Though some may debate his finer points, his proposals are, by and large, sensible, prudent, and convincing."
-James M. Lindgren, SUNY, Plattsburgh, Journal of American History, December 2000

"Wittily written with an eye for human foibles, this survey is chock full of illustrative incidents. . . . Sax advocates public access, but. . . gives wide latitude to creators themselves, and some even to their heirs. He throws down gauntlet to librarians, curators and archivists, however: material should either be closed to everyone for a reasonable period, or open to all adults. It's a stirring argument."
-Publishers Weekly, June 28, 1999

". . . a valuable contribution to understanding which parties have, and should have, rights in key objects that comprise our collective heritage. . . . Although I disagree with Professor Sax on several key points, I recommend Playing Darts with a Rembrandt highly to anyone who has an interest in the handling of important cultural treasures. It is clearly written, full of information about key instances and relevant laws, and sensitive to unique considerations with different kinds of cultural treasures. It provides not a single approach but many possible approaches to the multitude of problems it describes. Finally,, it has a tone of modesty, making no claims of providing a final answer to the array of provocative questions it raises and explores so well."
-Jason Y. Hall, American Association of Museums, Michigan Law Review, May 2000

"Sax turns his attention from public rights to conserve land and water to protection of cultural treasures. As always, he sees both sides of the argument and comes to reasoned and wise conclusions, balancing private and public interests. His prose is lucid, and his examples are both instructive and entertaining. An invaluable book for anyone interested in the preservation of our cultural resources."
-I. Michael Heyman, Secretary, Smithsonian Institution

". . . awakens the reader to the variety of cultural circumstances that bring private and civic values into conflict. And it heightens one's respect for the potential of the law-or of legal thinkers such as Sax-to resolve such conflicts reasonably."
-Kenneth Baker, San Francisco Chronicle Book Review

"Sax avoids easy answers and is leery of doctrinaire attempts at a general settlement. . . . While tailoring his recommendations to particular situations, he is resolute on one point: Some public rights in matters relating to the preservation of public art must be recognized. The market alone is ill-suited to protecting historically important objects and should not be entrusted with the task. . . . At a moment when the market is widely believed to be all-powerful, Sax's argument is timely indeed."
-Adrian Johns, University of California, San Diego, Civilization, August/September 1999

"In the end, Sax is less concerned about [particular] issues than he is about raising in a salient and a provocative manner this important set of issues and reframing them in a way that he believes will help shape a more profitable public debate. . . . In helping us to understand this he has succeeded admirably."
-J. Mark Schuster, Massachusetts Institute of Technology