After court in New York orders seizure, Met says will transfer 15 antiques to India

On March 30, the Met issued a statement that it “will transfer 15 sculptures for return to the government of India, after having learned that the works were illegally removed from India.” It said that “all of the works were sold at one point by Subhash Kapoor, a dealer currently serving a prison sentence in India.”

These works range in date from the 1st century BCE to the 11th century CE, and include terracotta, copper, and stone, the Met stated.

The value of the 15 Indian antiquities listed in the search warrant has been estimated as $1.201 million (nearly Rs 9.87 crore).

The search warrant stated that these items were stolen and constitute evidence of the crimes like possession of stolen property and a conspiracy to commit the crimes under US penal law.

Parikara, brass inlaid with silver & copper, 1449 AD, Gujarat

An investigation by The Indian Express in association with the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) and UK-based Finance Uncovered, published on March 14 and March 15 this year had revealed that Met’s catalogue includes at least 77 antiquities spanning centuries, including 59 paintings, with links to Subhash Kapoor.

Kapoor is serving a 10-year prison term in Tamil Nadu’s Trichy central jail for smuggling antiquities.

Another report in the series stated that the Met’s formidable Asia collection includes at least 94 artefacts of Jammu and Kashmir origin — 81 sculptures, five paintings, five pages of a manuscript, two Kashmir carpet antiquities and one page of calligraphy — none of which have details in their provenance, or background documents, of when they were moved out and by whom.

The list of antiquities listed include two from J&K flagged in The Indian Express report: an 8th century stone sculpture of Kamadeva, the god of love; and a 3rd-4th century Harwan floral tile made of terracotta.

Other antiquities listed are: A ceramic pot; a terracotta Yakshi holding a crowned child with visiting parrot and a terracotta Yakshi Holding a Crowned Child, all from Chandraketugarh in West Bengal and estimated to date back to 1st century BCE; a Bronze of God Revanta Returning from the Hunt (10th century CE); a 15th century Parikara (Backplate); and a 17th century ivory panel with Krishna and Gopis.

When asked about the latest developments, Met and the Department of Homeland Security did not respond to queries sent by The Indian Express. Kapoor’s lawyer S Nadhiya said she is not aware of any latest developments in the US. She added: “An appeal against his conviction is pending at a sessions court in Thanjavur.”

In its statement, the Met said it had contacted authorities in 2015 about its Kapoor-linked items and that, through a “cooperative partnership” with the Manhattan District Attorney’s office, “the museum received new information from the Manhattan DA’s office about 15 works of art that made it clear that the works should be transferred, resulting in the constructive resolution.”

It added: “The Museum is actively reviewing the history of antiquities from suspect dealers,” and that “The Museum values highly its long-standing relationships with the government of India, and is pleased to resolve this matter.”

The US Department of Homeland Security has described Kapoor as “one of the most prolific commodities smugglers in the world.”

He was arrested in Frankfurt on October 30, 2011, and extradited to India in July 2012. On November 1, 2022, he was sentenced to 10 years in jail by a court in Tamil Nadu’s Kumbakonam on charges of burglary and illegal export of idols belonging to the Varadharaja Perumal temple in Kanchipuram. He is currently serving his sentence in Trichy jail.

Kapoor faces charges in the US as well for smuggling idols and artefacts from Asia. A complaint filed in July 2019 in a New York court by the Homeland Security Investigation (HSI) stated that the “total value of stolen antiquities known to have been trafficked by Kapoor exceeds $145.71 million”.

Indian antiquities listed in the search warrant issued by the New York Supreme Court for seizure from the Metropolitan Museum of Art (MMA):

Kamadeva, the God of Love [Art of the Past, Inc. , New York, by 1993, sold to MMA]. Stone India (Jammu and Kashmir, ancient kingdom of Kashmir)/ Date: second half of the 8th century; “a rare survivor from early medieval Kashmir.”

The God Revanta Returning from a Hunt Shri Parshotam Ram Kapoor , Jalandhar and New Delhi, India; Subhash Kapoor , New York (by 2003; donated to MMA). Bronze India (Karnataka or Andhra Pradesh)/ Date: ca. 10th century; later Chalukyan period.

Pot Gift of Subhash Kapoor, in honor of his daughter, Mamta Kapoor, 2003. Ceramic India (Bengal)/ Date: ca. 1st century BCE; (Shunga period).

Yakshi Holding a Crowned Child Subhash Kapoor, New York (by 2002; donated to MMA). Terracotta India (Bengal)/ Date: ca. 1st century BCE; (Shunga period).

Vessel [Subhash Kapoor , New York, until 2001]; Nathan Rubin-Ida Ladd Family Foundation , New York (2001002; donated to MMA). Ceramic, India (Bengal)/ Date: ca. 1st century BCE; (Shunga period).

Yakshi Holding a Crowned Child with a Visiting Parrot [Art of the Past, Inc. , by 2002, sold to MMA]. Terracotta India (Bengal)/ Date: ca. 1st century BCE; (Shunga period).

Rattle in the Form of a Crouching Yaksha (Male Nature Spirit) [Art of the Past, Inc. , New York, by 1990, sold to MMA]. Terracotta India (West Bengal, Chandraketugarh)/ Date: 1st century BCE; (Shunga period).

Parikara (Backplate) Uncle of Subhash Kapoor by 1972; [Art of the Past, Inc. , New York, by 1992, sold to MMA] Brass inlaid with silver and copper India (Gujarat)/ Date: dated 1449; thereverse of this back plate has a lengthy inscription with a date of 1507, corresponding to A.D. 1449.

Panel with Krishna and Gopis [Art of the Past, Inc. , New York, until 1990, sold to Polsky]; Cynthia Hazen Polsky , New York (1990011; donated to MMA). Ivory India (Orissa)/ Date: 17th century; no further details available.

Tile with Impressed Figure Carrying a Festoon of Flowers [Art of the Past, Inc., New York, by 1992, sold to MMA]. Terracotta India (Jammu & Kashmir, ancient kingdom of Kashmir, Harwan)/ Date: 3rdth century.

A sandstone Celestial Dancer (Apsara) sculpture from Madhya Pradesh, mid-11th century, C.E (Chandela period). Provenance: The work was acquired by Florence and Herbert Irving in two parts, bust and lower torso, and joined by MMA in 1992. Bust: [Yvonne Moreau-Gobard, née Hustinx, The Hague and Paris, until 1986, sold to the Irvings]; Florence and Herbert Irving, New York (1986–2015, on loan to MMA 1992–2015; donated to MMA); Lower torso: [Art of the Past, Inc., New York, until 1992, sold to the Irvings]; Florence and Herbert Irving, New York (1992–2015, on loan to MMA 1992–2015; donated to MMA).

A rattle in the form of Crouching Yaksha from Chandraketugarh, West Bengal, ca. 1st century BCE (Shunga period). Made of Terracotta. Provenance: [ Art of the Past, Inc. , New York, by 1990, sold to MMA]

A Rattle in the Form of Crouching Grotesque Yaksha from Chandraketugarh, West Bengal, ca. 1st century BCE. Provenance: Subhash Kapoor , New York (by 1992; donated to MMA).

Ceramic vessel from Chandraketugarh, West Bengal, ca. 1st century BCE.

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A Svetambara Enthroned Jina, with Attendant Yaksha and Yakshi (“Svetambara Enthroned Jina”), 11th century C.E. Made of Copper alloy inlaid with silver and copper. Gujarat.