Introduction: Collecting art -- Comparative Studies of Civilization – Comparative Studies of Art Collection -- Collectors’ Rights “versus” Artists’ Rights - Conservation and Collection Care -- Comparative approaches to the study of national museums -- Private Collections “versus” Public Collections -- Governance of museums -- Selling art – Is it permitted? And if yes, under what conditions? -- Cultural Economics -- Museums and Collectors and the Illicit Trade of Art/Cultural Objects -- Conclusions: The Ethics of Acquiring Art and Antiquities.

This book is a comparative legal study of the private and public art collections in various states of the world, covering the most important issues that usually arise and focusing on the differences and the similarities of the national laws in the treatment of those issues.