Standing Shiva

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Standing Shiva is a 11th century Angkor sculpture looted from Thailand, acquired by an American museum, deaccessioned and repatriated in December 2023

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Description

Standing Shiva, is, according to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, “the most complete extant gilded-bronze image from Angor” which may have “served a dual purpose, representing a cult icon for worship in a royal sanctuary and also acting as an ancestor image of a deceased ruler”. [1] The work was donated to the museum in 1988 by art collector Walter H. Annenberg who acquired it from Spink & Son Ltd., London, "by 1988" [2] [1] The statue was believed to have been smuggled out of the country by Douglas Latchford. [3] The sculpture was damaged when it was looted. [4]

Claim and Repatriation

The restituted items arrived at Suvarnabhumi Airport on May 20, 2024 to be displayed at the National Museum, Phra Nakhon District. [4] in 2024 the Thai government signed an agreement with the Metropolitan Museum. [2] [5] [6]

See also

Sripuranthan Natarajan Idol

Archaeological looting

Art theft

Reference

  1. 1 2 Standing Shiva (?) , retrieved 2025-02-11
  2. 1 2 "Met Museum signs cultural-property agreement with Thailand and returns two statues". The Art Newspaper - International art news and events. 2024-04-26. Retrieved 2025-02-11.
  3. ↑ Ho, Karen K. (2024-05-21). "Thailand Celebrates Return of 11th Century Sculptures Repatriated by the Met Museum". ARTnews.com. Retrieved 2025-02-11. According to the AFP, Standing Shiva is also known as "Golden Boy" and the bronze object was discovered near the Cambodian border during an archaeological dig more than 50 years ago. The 51-inch statue was believed to have been smuggled out of the country by Latchford in 1975.
  4. 1 2 English, Khaosod (2024-05-20). "Discoverer of 'Golden Boy' Regrets Damage to Historic Sculpture" . Retrieved 2025-02-11.
  5. ↑ "Met to Return Looted Treasures to Cambodia, Thailand". Artforum. 2023-12-18. Retrieved 2025-02-11.
  6. ↑ "Returned 'Golden Boy' statue to arrive in Bangkok today". nationthailand. 2024-05-20. Retrieved 2025-02-11.
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