India Says LACMA Sculptures Were Smuggled

Shridevi, Vishnu, and Bhudevi, 13th Century. LACMA, claimed by India

Days after the Getty Poet and Sirens story broke, another admired sculptural trio in a Los Angeles museum is facing charges of having been smuggled. Dt Next is reporting that India's Tamil Nadu Idol Wing have identified three LACMA sculptures as having been stolen from Venugopalaswamy Temple in southeastern India. The investigators have filed documents asking for their return.

The 13th-century Tamil Nadu copper-alloy figures of Hindu deities Vishnu, Bhudevi, and Shridevi were 1970 gifts of Anna Bing Arnold. The tallest, Vishnu, stands 40 inches high. The temple had no photos of the missing idols, but the French Institute of Pondicherry did. This prompted to an online image search that led investigators to the photos on LACMA's site. 

Venugopalaswamy Temple


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Comments

Anonymous said…
The U.S. should pass a law like the U.K. did that outlaws repatriation.

"Sorry but that law says we can't give it back"
August 15, 2022 at 3:47 PM
Anonymous said…
LACMA shouldn't give it back. The sculptures will reach millions of visitors in Los Angeles when displayed compared to its Indian location.
August 16, 2022 at 2:08 AM
Anonymous said…
If the UK has a law that bans repatriation, and given the fact that foreign buyers of artworks located in London or some other part of the UK have to jump through hoops in order to obtain an export license, the US, particularly for artworks in areas like LA or NYC, is a sitting stool pigeon playing a game of "kick me" to not do the same thing. Or the US is going to have a sign taped to its backside that reads "Sucker."
August 16, 2022 at 9:40 AM
Anonymous said…
"The sculptures will reach millions of visitors in Los Angeles when displayed compared to its Indian location" is just about the lamest excuse there is for keeping stolen art.

By that "logic," all art should immediately be sent to Tokyo for display, since it's the world's most populous city.

Duh.
August 30, 2022 at 3:27 PM
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