This is the fourth time the National Gallery of Australia has handed over to the government of India art treasures bought from art dealer Subhash Kapoor. Similar repatriations had been made in 2014, 2016 and 2019.
Australia intends to repatriate some 14 stolen art treasures, artworks and artefacts in a gracious gesture of goodwill.
The works being returned to the Government of India – the largest ever – include bronze and stone sculptures, a painted scroll and photographs, some of which were likely stolen, illegally excavated or unethically acquired from the country.
National Gallery of Australia Director Nick Mitzevich making the announcement, says that as many as 13 of these works – part of the gallery’s Asian art collection – had a connection to Indian art dealer Subhash Kapoor through Art of the Past, and one was acquired from art dealer William Wolff.
The NGA has introduced a new provenance assessment framework that considers available evidence about both the legal and ethical aspects of a work of art’s history
According to Mitzevich, this was the fourth time the NGA has handed over to the government of India art treasures bought from art dealer Subhash Kapoor. Similar repatriations had been made in 2014, 2016 and 2019.
Mitzevich says these actions demonstrate the NGA commitment to being a leader in the ethical management of collections. The gallery has introduced a new provenance assessment framework that considers available evidence about both the legal and ethical aspects of a work of art’s history.
“This is the right thing to do, it’s culturally responsible and the result of collaboration between Australia and India. We are grateful to the Indian Government for their support and are pleased we can now return these culturally significant objects.”
He adds: “With these developments, provenance decision-making at the National Gallery will be determined by an evidence-based approach evaluated on the balance of probabilities, anchored in robust legal and ethical decision-making principles and considerations”.
India’s High Commissioner to Australia, Manpreet Vohra, has welcomed the decision by the Australian Government and the National Gallery to return the works. “The Government of India is grateful for this extraordinary act of goodwill and gesture of friendship from Australia,” Vohra says.
“These are outstanding pieces: their return will be extremely well-received by the Government and people of India,” he adds in a statement.
Subhash Kapoor is awaiting trial in India after being accused of running a global smuggling ring for artefacts.
After his arrest in 2012, the Indian police had listed the Dancing Shiva as one of the stolen items, and it soon became clear the sculpture had been ripped out of a temple in southern India.
The NGA had spent 10.7 million dollars on 22 works from Kapoor’s “Art of the Past” gallery over several years, including a stunning 11th century Chola bronze sculpture, Shiva Nataraja, which the NGA purchased for more than 5 million dollars in 2008.
