US Museum to Return Three Ancient Tamil Nadu Bronze Sculptures

Washington: The National Museum of Asian Art, part of the Smithsonian Institution in the United States, has announced it will return three historic South Indian bronze sculptures to India. These artifacts were taken illegally from temples in Tamil Nadu several decades ago.

The three sculptures being repatriated include ‘Shiva Nataraja’ from the Chola period (circa 990 CE), ‘Somaskanda’ from the 12th century Chola era, and ‘Saint Sundarar with Paravai’ from the Vijayanagar period (16th century). Each piece is considered an exceptional example of South Indian bronze artistry. Originally, these statues were taken out during religious processions in Tamil Nadu temples.

However, the museum clarified on Wednesday that the Chola-era ‘Shiva Nataraja’ statue will remain in the US as a long-term loan under an agreement with the Indian government. The museum will continue to display the sculpture while publicly sharing its history, the circumstances of its removal, and the process of its return.

The statue will be part of the exhibition titled ‘The Art of Knowing in South Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Himalayas’ to provide visitors with a comprehensive narrative about its journey, including its illegal removal and eventual repatriation.

This decision follows a thorough review of the museum’s South Asian collection that spanned several years. Researchers working with photographic archives from the French Institute in Pondicherry confirmed that all three bronzes appeared in images taken between 1956 and 1959 at temples in Tamil Nadu.

Subsequently, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) examined these findings and determined that the sculptures had been removed in violation of Indian laws.

Chea E. Robinson, director of the museum, said, “We are committed to handling cultural heritage with responsibility and transparency. The return of these sculptures reflects our ethical museum practices. We thank the Indian government for allowing us to continue displaying the much-admired Shiva Nataraja sculpture.”

The museum is finalising the agreement in collaboration with the Indian embassy. The provenance team, curators specialising in South and Southeast Asian art, and international research partners have played key roles throughout this process.

The ‘Shiva Nataraja’ statue originally belonged to the Sri Bhava Oushadeswarar temple in Tirutturaipundi taluk, Tamil Nadu, where it was photographed in 1957. The museum acquired it in 2002 from the Doris Wiener Gallery in New York. Investigations revealed that the gallery had used forged documents for the sale.

The other two statues came as part of a donation of nearly 1,000 objects by Arthur M. Sackler in 1987. Research confirmed the ‘Somaskanda’ statue was photographed in 1959 at the Vishwanath temple in Alathur village, and ‘Saint Sundarar with Paravai’ in 1956 at a Shiva temple in Veersolapuram village.

Provenance research involved detailed examination of the sculptures’ physical attributes along with export licenses, dealer records, old photographs, correspondence, and shipping documents to establish a clear ownership history.

India has long sought the return of cultural heritage items removed illegally from its temples and archaeological sites.

The Smithsonian Institution is the world’s largest museum and research complex, attracting millions of visitors annually.