Archive · 30 Jan 2026
Smithsonian to Return Stolen Hindu Bronzes to India
The Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art in the US is returning three old bronze statues to India.
These statues, including one of the Hindu god Shiva dancing, were taken from temples in Tamil Nadu a long time ago.
The museum found out that these statues were stolen and should be returned to India.
The statues are very important in Hindu culture and are loved by many people around the world.
The museum is doing this to follow good practices and be ethical.
The statues were taken by a gallery that was involved in smuggling stolen art.
The museum used old photos to prove that the statues were indeed stolen.
The Indian government has agreed to let one of the statues stay in the museum for a long time, so people can learn about its history and how it was returned.
Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art will return three bronze sculptures to India, including the Shiva Nataraja statue from around A.D. 990.
The statues were illegally removed from temples in Tamil Nadu and acquired by the museum through questionable sources.
The Shiva Nataraja statue entered the museum’s collection in 2002 through New York’s Doris Wiener Gallery, known for smuggling stolen antiquities.
Researchers confirmed the statues were stolen by finding photographs from the 1950s in the French Institute of Pondicherry’s archives.
The return of the statues reflects the museum’s commitment to ethical practices and the repatriation of stolen cultural artifacts.
- Who
- Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art, Doris Wiener Gallery, Arthur M Sackler
- What
- Return of three stolen bronze sculptures to India
- When
- Shiva Nataraja acquired in 2002, Somaskanda and Saint Sundarar acquired in 1987, return date not specified
- Where
- Temples in Tamil Nadu, India; Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art, USA
- Why
- Determined to be illegally removed from their original temple sites
- Statues Returned
- Shiva Nataraja, Somaskanda, Saint Sundarar With Paravai
- Dates
- Shiva Nataraja (A.D. 990), Somaskanda (12th century), Saint Sundarar (16th century)
- Origin
- Temples in Tamil Nadu, India
- Museum
- Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art
- Acquisition Year
- 2002 (Shiva Nataraja), 1987 (Somaskanda and Saint Sundarar)
- Smuggler
- Doris Wiener Gallery
- Investigation
- Systematic review of the museum’s South Asian collection
- Confirmation
- Photographs from the 1950s in the French Institute of Pondicherry’s archives
Sources
Statue of Hindu god 'Shiva Nataraja' among stolen bronzes to be returned to India from Smithsonian Institution
US Smithsonian Museum to Return Stolen Chola-Era Shiva Nataraja, Other Ancient Statues To India
US to Return Three Ancient Bronze Sculptures To India
US to return three stolen ancient bronze sculptures to India after illegal removal confirmed
US to return 3 ancient sculptures taken illegally from Indian temples
US museum to return 3 bronze sculptures ‘removed illegally’ from Tamil Nadu temples
The Smithsonian's National Museum of Asian Art agrees to return three ancient Indian bronze figures
US Smithsonian Museum to return three ancient Indian bronze sculptures to India
