The sculpture of the tenth century, illegally exported from the Cambodian temple in 1970, trying to return to their homeland. A year ago, it wanted to sell at Sotheby's for $ 3 million

statue of a warrior. X century. Koch Kerr, Cambodia
Sandstone. Height 158,4
Source: artdaily.com

Cambodian government is trying to return ancient Khmer statue illegally removed from the country a few decades ago. Millennial Sculpture in the past year fell into the catalog of Sotheby's, but the day before the auction, March 24, 2011 the lot was removed from the auction at the request of the Cambodian government. five-foot statue of sandstone depicts a mythical warrior in a magnificent headdress . upper estimate of the lot was $ 3 million.

Sotheby's called the supplier of the European collector who bought the sculpture from the London dealer in 1975 - almost twenty years before the adoption of Cambodian law, 1993 ban the export of cultural property without state sanction. auction house says that in writing notified the Cambodian government about the statue before its sale - in November 2010. senior vice president and international department supervisor Sotheby's Jane Levine (Jane Levine) said that the Cambodian government was silent until until March 23, 2011: the day before the auction with auctioneers contacted on behalf of the representatives of UNESCO in Cambodia.

Cambodian government "is not maintained, nor that the statue is stolen property, and he has the opportunity to challenge property rights of the current owner, nor that of the Sotheby's will be illegal to sell it, or that Cambodia has the rights to this statue, "- said Jane Levine.

In the capital, Phnom Penh, Cambodia representative of the Ministry of Cultural Heritage Hub Touche (Hab Touch) confirmed that his government sent a letter to Sotheby's with a request not to sell the statue. He added that the statue of the tenth century, was stolen from the temple of Koh Ker near Angkor, but exactly when and by whom it was stolen, he I could not. Immigration and Customs Police said the United States, which is investigating the circumstances of the case and looking for ways out of the situation in close cooperation with the U.S. Attorney's office and the Government of Cambodia.

Once the owner voluntarily removed a sculpture at auction, the auction house turned to Cambodia with a request to develop a user-friendly for both sides plan to solve the problem. In May, Cambodia proposed to find a buyer who would agree to buy and then return the statue to his homeland. Cambodians even named a certain Hungarian antiquarian, which Sotheby's previously negotiated, as a potential buyer. "We will be happy if someone else vykazhet interest in this kind of deal - says Levine. - Sotheby's would like to find a fair solution for both Cambodia and the owner of the statue who bought it for lawful basis for almost forty years ago ».

UNESCO representative in Phnom Penh Lemestr Anne (Anne LeMaistre), which is also involved in the negotiations, said of what is happening:" It is unpleasant that have to buy such works, but, sadly, a country often have to go for it if she wants to return the product to their homeland. "This sculpture is another such place of the temple of Koh Ker. Archaeologists compared the statue from its pedestal, preserved at the site . second sculpture of the couple since 1980 is in the Norton Simon Museum in Pasadena (California), and coinciding with the pedestal it has also been found in the temple of Koh Ker.

Many ancient artifacts have been destroyed or stolen in Cambodia in the 1970s when the country was ruled by the Khmer Rouge. Archaeologist Burdaev Eric (Eric Bourdonneau), who compared the two statues from their pedestals, said in an interview with the Times, that both works were removed from the country in the early 1970s. Jane Levine acknowledged that Sotheby's was known before the sale that the works come from the temple of Koh Ker. However, she argues that the auction house did not know when and under what circumstances they were there removed. Levine said that the European collector had no idea nothing wrong at the time of purchase and that it happened long before the enactment in 1993. which existed before the law in Cambodia of the 1920s imposed some restrictions on exports, but not nationalized all ancient Cambodia and, therefore, to reconsider backdating certainly does not prove ownership is possible.

Prepared by Mary Onuchina, AI

Sources : artdaily.com , artinvestment.ru