The Metropolitan Museum of Art is returning stone sculpture to Nepal

The Consulate General of Nepal in New York and The Metropolitan Museum of Art announced yesterday the return of a tenth century stone sculpture, Shiva in Himalayan Abode with Ascetics, to Nepal.

An agreement was signed by acting consul general Bishnu Prasad Gautam and president and CEO of the Metropolitan Museum of Art Daniel H Weiss to bring the arts back to Nepal, according to a press note issued by the Consulate General of Nepal in New York.

The sculpture depicts Lord Shiva, a revered Hindu deity, with his two ascetic disciples in a mountain abode at Mount Kailash in the Himalayas. The sculpture, which is approximately 13 inches high, was given to The Metropolitan Museum of Art in 1995 and remained in the collection until recent Museum research, based on that of renowned Nepali scholar Lain Singh Bangdel and his book, 'Inventory of Stone Sculptures of Kathmandu Valley', determined that the object belonged to the Kankeswari Temple (Kanga-Ajima) in Kathmandu and that it should be returned to Nepal. The Museum contacted Nepal earlier this year to offer the return of the sculpture, and is arranging for the object to be transported to Nepal, the press note reads.

"We are deeply grateful to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, its president and chief executive officer, the Board of Trustees, the Museum’s scholars and officials for their initiative and cooperation in returning this lost artifact back to Nepal," Speaking on the occasion, acting consul general Gautam said. "We also offer thanks to many supporters and interested parties for their love of Nepali art," he said, adding that Nepal appreciate the Museum's ongoing dedication and commitment to working for the preservation and promotion of world cultural heritage. "The warm cooperation we have received from the Museum has deeply contributed to Nepal's national efforts to recover and reinstate its lost artifacts, including the Museum’s initiative to return two Nepali artifacts--Uma Maheshwara (Shiva and Parbati), and Standing Buddha in 2018."

The Consulate looks forward to working closely with the Museum for the promotion of art and culture, as these collaborative efforts truly contribute to preservation of the cultural heritage, and further strengthen the long-standing ties between the peoples of Nepal and the United States of America, he added.

"The Museum is committed to the responsible acquisition of archaeological art, and applies rigorous provenance standards both to new acquisitions and the study of works long in its collection in an ongoing effort to learn as much as possible about ownership history," the Metropolitan Museum of art president and CEO Weiss said, "In returning this sculpture to Nepal, the Museum is acting to strengthen the good relationship it has long maintained with scholarly institutions and colleagues in Nepal and to foster and celebrate continued cooperation and dialogue between us."

At a signing ceremony hosted at the Museum, the Consulate General honoured officials with ceremonial Nepali dhaka scarves (khada), in appreciation of the Museum’s contribution to preservation and promotion of world cultural heritage, including Nepali art.