China Protests Artifact Auction
China's cultural heritage agency has strongly condemned the auction of two bronze pieces it says were looted from the Summer Palace near Beijing some 150 years ago. Christie's sold the bronzes, part of the late Yves Saint Laurent's estate, for 31 million euros.
China’s cultural heritage agency has strongly condemned the auction of two bronze pieces it says were looted from the Summer Palace near Beijing some 150 years ago. Christie’s sold the bronzes, part of the late Yves Saint Laurent’s estate, for 31 million euros.
It’s bad enough that museums engage in this kind of cultural pilfering — at least those objects are offered for public viewing. The idea of some Bruce Wayne snatching up a priceless relic to fill a sconce in his bat cave is truly appalling.
One can only hope the high bidder bought the pieces in order to give them back to China.
Related: The Truthdig book review of Sharon Waxman’s “Loot” examines this issue in greater detail.
Your support is crucial...BBC:
The cultural heritage agency said it had “pressed for the withdrawal of these Summer Palace relics”.
“But Christie’s took its own course and insisted on auctioning the relics looted from the Summer Palace in breach of the spirit of international pacts and the consensus on the return of such artefacts to their original countries,” it said.
“The State Administration of Cultural Heritage does not recognise the illegal owners of the looted relics and will continue to utilise all … necessary channels to recover all relics stolen and illegally exported throughout history,” it said.
As we navigate an uncertain 2025, with a new administration questioning press freedoms, the risks are clear: our ability to report freely is under threat.
Your tax-deductible donation enables us to dig deeper, delivering fearless investigative reporting and analysis that exposes the reality beneath the headlines — without compromise.
Now is the time to take action. Stand with our courageous journalists. Donate today to protect a free press, uphold democracy and uncover the stories that need to be told.
Film
Mati Diop breathes life into statues in the ethereal political art doc “Dahomey.”
Arts & Culture
Visual investigations at the intersection of climate change and global migration.
Editorial Cartoons
Though diversity is a driving ethos of this year's event in Los Angeles, the art world is still deeply invested in sidelining people of color.
Artists who tell the truth are the mortal enemies of despots, who seek to distort the past, the present and the future.
Artists, activists and museum staff launched protests after learning that chemicals made by Warren Kanders’ company were used on migrants crossing the U.S.-Mexico border.
You need to be a supporter to comment.
There are currently no responses to this article.
Be the first to respond.