- Smithsonian's National Museum of Asian Art will return three stolen bronze sculptures to India
- Sculptures include Shiva Nataraja, Somaskanda, and Saint Sundarar with Paravai from Indian temples
- Provenance research confirmed sculptures were illegally removed from Tamil Nadu temples in 1950s
The Smithsonian's National Museum of Asian Art has announced that it's returning three stolen bronze sculptures to India. The move came after rigorous provenance research showed that sculptures were removed illegally from Indian temples. The three relics that the US museum is returning are "Shiva Nataraja" (Chola period, circa 990), "Somaskanda" (Chola period, 12th century), and "Saint Sundarar with Paravai" (Vijayanagar period, 16th century).
The Washington-based museum said that the Government of India has agreed to place one of the sculptures on long-term loan. The arrangement will allow the museum to publicly share the full story of the sculpture's origins, removal, and return and to underscore the museum's commitment to provenance research.
These sculptures were originally sacred objects traditionally carried in temple processions, exemplifying the rich artistry of South Indian bronze casting.
The "Shiva Nataraja," which is to be placed on long-term loan, will be on view as part of the exhibition "The Art of Knowing in South Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Himalayas."
Why The US Museum Is Returning Sculptures
As part of a systematic review of its South Asian collections, the National Museum of Asian Art undertook a detailed investigation into the provenance of the three sculptures, scrutinising each work's transaction history.
In 2023, in collaboration with the Photo Archives of the French Institute of Pondicherry, museum researchers confirmed that the bronzes had been photographed in temples in Tamil Nadu, India, between 1956 and 1959. The Archaeological Survey of India subsequently reviewed these findings and affirmed that the sculptures had been removed in violation of Indian laws.
"The National Museum of Asian Art is committed to stewarding cultural heritage responsibly and advancing transparency in our collection," said Chase F Robinson, the museum's director.
"Because we aim to understand the objects in our collection in their full complexity, we carry out a robust program of research that seeks to trace not just how they came to the museum, but the history of their origins and movements across time. We are establishing field-defining practices for research on Asian art provenance and object histories, expanding our network of global partners and assembling a range of research resources. The return of these sculptures, the result of rigorous research, shows our commitment to ethical museum practice. We are profoundly appreciative to the Indian government for enabling us to continue exhibiting the long-admired Shiva Nataraja for the benefit of our visitors," he added.
The museum and the Embassy of India are in close contact, finalising arrangements to mark the agreement. The return was made possible by the National Museum of Asian Art's dedicated provenance team and curators of South and Southeast Asian Art, with support from the Photo Archives of the French Institute of Pondicherry and numerous organisations and individuals around the world.
History Of Three Sculptures
The "Shiva Nataraja" belonged to the Sri Bhava Aushadesvara Temple in Tirutturaippundi Taluk, Tanjavur District, Tamil Nadu, India, where it was photographed in 1957. The bronze sculpture was later acquired by the National Museum of Asian Art from the Doris Wiener Gallery in New York in 2002. In addition to photographic evidence confirming the sculpture's presence in the temple in 1957, a provenance researcher at the museum determined that the Doris Wiener Gallery had provided falsified documentation to facilitate the sale to the museum.
The "Somaskanda" and "Saint Sundarar with Paravai" entered the collection of the National Museum of Asian Art as part of a gift of 1,000 objects from Arthur M. Sackler in 1987. Research led by the museum's team at the Photo Archives of the French Institute of Pondicherry confirmed that the "Somaskanda" was photographed at the Visvanatha Temple in Alattur village, Mannarkudi taluk, Tamil Nadu in 1959, and the "Saint Sundarar with Paravai" at the Shiva Temple in Veerasolapuram village, Kallakuruchchi Taluk, Tamil Nadu in 1956.
