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The Art Institute of Chicago (AIC) this week introduced the return of Buddha Sheltered by the Serpent King Muchalinda to Nepal, acknowledging that the Twelfth-century sculpture was stolen from Guita Bahi within the Kathmandu Valley.
The choice follows new provenance analysis and collaboration with Nepalese officers, the museum said. The return comes as establishments are being more and more pushed—or forced—to restitute and repatriate stolen cultural items.
The statue, which depicts the Buddha protected by the serpent king throughout a storm, has been on show on the museum since 1997. “This return displays the significance of provenance analysis in addition to the Artwork Institute’s proactive outreach and collaboration with international locations and communities,” stated Jacques Schuhmacher, the museum’s govt director of provenance analysis, in a press release.
The Nepalese authorities welcomed the transfer. “This sacred sculpture is a service of tales, traditions, and values … its return strengthens the bond between heritage and group, making certain future generations can join with their historical past,” stated Sharad Raj Aran, of Nepal’s embassy in Washington, D.C. The repatriation not solely strengthens Nepal’s cultural heritage but additionally units a precedent for future cooperation between Nepal and the AIC.
The AIC maintains one of many largest provenance analysis groups within the US, underscoring a broader institutional shift towards addressing problematic acquisitions. The return of the Muchalinda Buddha is a part of a growing trend in the museum world, with many establishments now dealing with elevated scrutiny over the provenance of artworks of their collections.
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