British art dealer bought a Buddha statue, once stolen from the Kabul Museum to return to its rightful owners

Buddha. II,.
Gandhara, Afghanistan
Source: guardian. co.uk

A certain British art dealer, art enthusiast in Afghanistan, has joined forces with the British Museum, to buy and bring home a prominent statue of the Buddha, once stolen from the Kabul National Museum.

photograph of the sculpture of the II century, originating from the Afghan kingdom of Gandhara, he received from his colleagues in Japan. He offered it for sale. British dealer who traveled to Afghanistan in 1970, recalled that he saw this Buddha in Kabul: "I remember exactly where he stood at the Museum».

First, the dealer asked Japanese colleague donated the statue to return to Afghanistan, but he refused. And then he is at your own risk and decided to buy it (buying stolen items in the UK is prohibited by law). About his intentions known only to the British Museum director Neil MacGregor (Neil MacGregor) and curator John Simpson (John Simpson). With their approval of the dealer to make a deal, the amount to which the official sources do not specify (According to unconfirmed reports, the Buddha can cost about 600 thousand pounds).

«This is a tribute of my respect for the civilization and the suffering, which passed through this nation, "- said the benefactor. Statue height of 1.2 meters while on display at the British Museum in exhibition "Afghanistan: Crossroads of the Ancient World» . And after will be returned to the National Museum of Afghanistan in Kabul.

material was prepared by Maria Onuchina, AI

Source: guardian.co.uk , artinvestment.ru