Art and Law Newsletter: American collector finally returns 10th century idol stolen in 1974

     Norton Simon, an American art collector, was in possession of a stolen Indian bronze for nearly four decades. The priceless bronze, an idol of Lord Nataraja, was taken from the Sri Sivagurunathasamy temple of Sivaputam, located in the Thanjavur district. According to officials, the idol was entrusted to a local sculptor for repairs in 1954. A copy was made and given to the temple, while the original was smuggled to Bombay, and eventually sold to Simon. The idol was later confiscated by Scotland Yard when Simon sent it to a restorer in London for repair. British authorities contacted the Indian government, who reached an out of court settlement with Simon. Under the terms of this agreement, Simon agreed to return the idol, but only if he was allowed to retain the bronze for nearly 10 years, and if the Indian government agreed not to inquire about any other works in his possession. The work is now in the Kapaleeshwar temple in Chennai.

The Blog does not create an attorney client relationship. LaSusa & Deb, PLLC is a law firm and the contents of this blog may contain legal information, but such information does not create a relationship between the reader and LaSusa & Deb, PLLC or any of its attorneys. Information herein is not guaranteed to be complete, correct or up-to-date nor does it reflect the opinions of LaSusa & Deb, PLLC. Please read full disclosure at the bottom of the page.  

Art and Law Newsletter: India's Ministry of Culture signs new agreement with the Met

   On March 19, 2013 an agreement between the Metropolitan Museum of Art and India's Ministry of Culture was signed in New Delhi. Under the auspices of this new agreement, the two institutions will cooperate in areas such as public education, conservation, academic research, and exhibition through short- and long-term loans. One exhibition already being planned will be a large collection of works from the Deccan region of India, scheduled to open at the Met in spring of 2015. This exhibition, which is provisionally titled "The Art of India's Deccan Sultans, ca. 1500-1700," will feature nearly 150 works and will focus on the region's multicultural influences. Another early program to come from this agreement is the Indian Conservation Pilot Program. This program will promote conservation and education through fellowships, seminars, and initiatives at museums throughout India.

The Blog does not create an attorney client relationship. LaSusa & Deb, PLLC is a law firm and the contents of this blog may contain legal information, but such information does not create a relationship between the reader and LaSusa & Deb, PLLC or any of its attorneys. Information herein is not guaranteed to be complete, correct or up-to-date nor does it reflect the opinions of LaSusa & Deb, PLLC. Please read full disclosure at the bottom of the page.