Sculptures demonstrate the exceptional talent of South Indian bronze craftspeople. Washington: Three ancient South Indian bronze statues will be returned to India by the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art after provenance investigations revealed that the pieces had been unlawfully taken from temple settings decades prior. On Wednesday (local time), the museum announced that one of the sculptures, a “Shiva Nataraja” from the Chola period, will stay in the United States on a long-term loan arranged with the Indian government. This will enable the museum to keep showcasing the piece while openly recording its removal, return, and history.
Originally, these were revered items carried in Tamil Nadu temple processions. According to the museum, “The Art of Knowing in South Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Himalayas” will feature the “Shiva Nataraja,” which will be on long-term loan. The museum made this choice after conducting a multi-year inquiry as part of a systematic review of its South Asian collections.
The three bronzes were photographed at Tamil Nadu temples between 1956 and 1959, according to research conducted in 2023 by the French Institute of Pondicherry’s Photo Archives.
Removal of sculptures
After reviewing the evidence, the Archaeological Survey of India concluded that the statues had been removed against Indian law. According to museum director Chase F. Robinson, “The National Museum of Asian Art is committed to advancing transparency in our collection and stewarding cultural heritage responsibly.” “The return of these sculptures, which are the outcome of thorough investigation, demonstrates our dedication to moral museum practices. For the sake of our guests, we are incredibly grateful to the Indian government for allowing us to continue showcasing the revered Shiva Nataraja,” Robinson stated.
The museum stated that it is collaborating closely with the Indian Embassy to complete the agreements. International research partners, South and Southeast Asian art curators, and the museum’s provenance team all contributed to the process. The museum claims that the “Shiva Nataraja” was photographed in 1957 in the Sri Bhava Aushadesvara Temple in Tirutturaippundi Taluk, Tamil Nadu. Later, in 2002, the sculpture was purchased by the National Museum of Asian Art from the Doris Wiener Gallery in New York. Researchers from the museum discovered that the gallery had supplied false paperwork to make the sale possible. The other two sculptures were added to the museum’s collection when Arthur M. Sackler donated over 1,000 items in 1987.
According to research, the “Somaskanda” was taken in 1959 at the Visvanatha Temple in Alattur village, while the “Saint Sundarar with Paravai” was taken in 1956 at a Shiva temple in Veerasolapuram village. In order to reconstruct an object’s ownership history, the museum defined provenance research as a procedure that combines physical study of artifacts with a thorough documentary assessment, including export licenses, dealer records, historical pictures, correspondence, and shipping documents. India has been requesting the restitution of cultural artifacts that were unlawfully taken from temples and archaeological sites for many years. Overseeing several museums on the National Mall and drawing millions of visitors each year, the Smithsonian Institution is the biggest museum and research complex in the world.
One of the most important collections of Asian art in the world is kept in the National Museum of Asian Art, which opened for free in 1923.
