1 20 5 https://d1y502jg6fpugt.cloudfront.net/77763/archive/files/c06dc44216c09bcf16f4f4af78a2a433.jpg?Expires=1792022400&Signature=pA8d1gE97mlsiYnCGLiQOeW33RDZp4-bRRdHWoaDywIhiI1dQXttW6US-3I33IMV3IUbnoEZvVmjcexAkGP832MQUL2znlSszwhnnCP5XhemjGO7LemKklbK5xdnKCv18Q66-Q39NiAQ533aXs4l025zk4I4pMwI%7EoB1-aOvQGUfrA-vwR-V9bp5NRyjvw6pQijKRB49ODtUhlJVeDPIwoqFzcRVlZJipKsjPfaWTr3HGBjBZEv3vOKTOkv6Aqvt8pX17j8JaYYCHwL8XJJD-qmFaWiLYTjscG2ao%7EBhJkS0cNMlg9lVDueZ0Gkv1gdbkRn7J3-5SV0PjnPihMwsZw__&Key-Pair-Id=K6UGZS9ZTDSZM 1983f7dcfb017c5323755c924639ec49 https://d1y502jg6fpugt.cloudfront.net/77763/archive/files/31baee98efc5c9e5014064b72dd3b698.jpg?Expires=1792022400&Signature=NUcWiDi5M3%7Ee%7EyPyPJeW89M4pNDEg9jH971gVw51HKp80W-5epaCI58xbo9KoSjtWqmRxPpWISHZRseaiNd6fLVqjagZup5lySKVGvNDs5JYqR4JVx4kSm00h5SwGLGCTuy5RkIahj7LKKpz1ANmelipshRxz-JHCx57r1Ul5eVeRqNAT8WBZrYkmZxsy3nOSZrkA3V61pNu5aLu2yMusfWGF9gnUs6%7EzXEhI094EwFKQ5SS4sYIKrJgbYSsK6izJ80wmzUOiC%7EnHgNm0QuOcSFaNPLBLHs63BnC6zNt67OipyLM5hmKcQSz8I4PZWXCf4weC0A7HyRTFj8Qexlk1w__&Key-Pair-Id=K6UGZS9ZTDSZM 1a9ad8f7e47ba4d6d901a3ba88338594 https://d1y502jg6fpugt.cloudfront.net/77763/archive/files/b669e75ca62e2aa9fb30fb2fd9b70760.jpg?Expires=1792022400&Signature=suE4fDIGIUQQ7eruPV1mMLGHaq1vqdksLs8XlEH8Vdqojg99rXtLQrJP0wfjMHpyR-MIrna3dCQV%7ENoae1NBAKjg7NAVy5iU7Fw8b7xOGy%7Ei2JWtZzudpxrZFueIaYYQ20xIeOobMllVcK8bEAla1ApNpzmNcqlqgPsg9vbQQFmpi34RaQgzegoH781XkV17GMhDqTKYwHC13i8Vd9P2oPw22wM5PSbHJiRJF70rz5s4AZmY%7EL9vnXd8lNQ95xRCTupT-RkmVZoyZXPi8yCCXWEHciPTwMY-GFxNpWNho-Voj6GcaWF0AVCXtjIfE5R41U8rYZ5shNSHKzFdPSKh8w__&Key-Pair-Id=K6UGZS9ZTDSZM dd144c8bcffcd09f52a0ade9c89cf925 Physical Object An inanimate, three-dimensional object or substance. Note that digital representations of, or surrogates for, these objects should use Moving Image, Still Image, Text or one of the other types. Sending Country Country from which the object was returned during repatriation. Select from drop-down list. China Object or Group Name The common English name of the object or group of objects. Old Summer Palace Zodiac Fountainheads: Ox, Monkey and Tiger Case Summary Narrative summary of the object’s looting, identification by authorities and repatriation. The bronze ox, monkey and tiger heads were three of the twelve zoomorphic fountainheads that were once part of the zodiac fountain clepsydra (water clock) that adorned the entrance to the Qing Dynasty’s Yuanmingyuan or Old Summer Palace. Designed and built by Giuseppe Castiglione for Emperor Qianlong in 1759, the fountain was located in front of the Haiyantang (Hall of the Calm Sea) and featured the Chinese zodiac sculptures with animal heads atop stone human bodies. To display time, water spouted from the mouth of a different animal every two hours. In 1860, the Summer Palace was looted and destroyed by Anglo-French troops in retaliation for the deaths of 20 British and French envoys who attempted to negotiate a truce during the Second Opium War. During the sacking of the palace gardens, all twelve fountainheads were severed from their bodies and looted by expedition soldiers. The ox and monkey heads had been auctioned in the 1980s but eventually reemerged at auction at Christie's in Hong Kong on April 30, 2000. At the same time, Sotheby's Hong Kong offered the tiger fountainhead at its auction on May 2. Although the Chinese government attempted to halt both auctions on legal and ethical grounds, these attempts were unsuccessful and the auctions were allowed to proceed. The state-owned China Poly Group Corp won all three lots for an estimated USD$4 million and returned the tiger, ox and monkey (as well as a vase) to China. All three heads are now displayed in the China Poly Art Museum in Beijing. Since 2000, several other zodiac heads have been repatriated. In 2003 the pig head was purchased by Chinese collector, Stanley Ho, and eventually joined the monkey, ox, and tiger on display at the Poly Art Museum. Ho later purchased the horse in 2007 (and donated it to the Chinese government in 2019). And in 2013, the rat and rabbit from the collection of Yves Saint Laurent & Pierre Bergé, were purchased and voluntarily returned by the head of Christie's after an activist Chinese bidder reneged on the purchase. Number of Objects Count of objects reflected in this record. 3 Object Materials Material(s) that the object or group of objects is made of. Select from drop-down list. Bronze Object Type Type of object based on its function. Select from drop-down list. Sculpture – statues, carvings, bronzes, reliefs, figurines Creation Date Year this object was created, in years BCE/CE; use circa if presenting a range. Use specific year, decade or century. 1759 Country of Origin The modern country of origin that this object came from (i.e. where it was found). Select from drop-down list. China Date Looted Approximate year that the object or group of objects was excavated or stolen. 1860 Auction House Auction house(s) that offered the object for auction. Christie's Hong Kong Sotheby's Hong Kong Auction Details Include details about the auction, such as: Location of the auction house branch (i.e. London, New York). Date of auction(s). Lot number used to offer the object at auction. Estimated value or value range in the auction listing, displayed in USD alongside price in original currency. Christie's Hong Kong, The Imperial Sale, April 30, 2000 Ox: Lot 517 Monkey: Lot 516 (Each) Est. HKD 3,800,000 – HKD 4,500,000 USD 487,829 - 577,692 Sotheby's Hong Kong, Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art, May 02, 2000 Tiger: no pre-sale estimate Year of Last Price Year of the most recent reported price, valuation or estimate of the object. 2000 Repatriated? Repatriation status of the object. Select from drop-down list. Yes Year Returned Year of the return of the object to its country of origin. 2000 Returning Entity Institution or individual that returned the object to its country of origin (not a law enforcement agency). China Poly Group Corp. Receiving Country Country that received the object during repatriation. Select from drop-down list. China Reason for Return Why the object was returned. Select from list: Law enforcement seizure; court ordered civil forfeiture; claim from country of origin; voluntary return absent a forfeiture or claim; or other. Other Current Location Place where the object is currently held. Provide as much information as possible (Institution, City and Country, when known). Poly Art Museum in Beijing MOLA Contributor(s) Person(s) who contributed to the information in this record. Anonymous is an acceptable entry. Jeff Tsai Status Completion status of MOLA record. Select from drop-down list: Stub (Needs basic research), Incomplete (Missing key fields), In progress (Has been assigned), Ready for review (Complete; awaiting peer review) and Completed (Ready to publish). Only Completed records are made Public. Completed Tags China Poly Art Museum in Beijing Sources Reliable sources of information related to the object and its repatriation. Preference to primary sources (court records, documents, archival sources) and authoritative secondary sources (media reports, blogs etc.). For links, use a stable URL via Internet Archive. State Bidder Buys Relics for China <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20251125175239/https://www.nytimes.com/2000/05/03/arts/state-bidder-buys-relics-for-china.html">https://web.archive.org/web/20251125175239/https://www.nytimes.com/2000/05/03/arts/state-bidder-buys-relics-for-china.html</a> MIT Visualizing Culture: The Garden of Perfect Brightness <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20121110170351/http://ocw.mit.edu/ans7870/21f/21f.027/garden_perfect_brightness_03/ymy3_essay04.html">https://web.archive.org/web/20121110170351/http://ocw.mit.edu/ans7870/21f/21f.027/garden_perfect_brightness_03/ymy3_essay04.html</a> China Asks Auction Houses to Withdraw 4 Relics <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20260115022751/https://www.nytimes.com/2000/04/29/arts/china-asks-auction-houses-to-withdraw-4-relics.html">https://web.archive.org/web/20260115022751/https://www.nytimes.com/2000/04/29/arts/china-asks-auction-houses-to-withdraw-4-relics.html</a> Value in 2024 US Dollars Value in 2024 US Dollars, adjusted for inflation. Use inflation calculator here: https://www.oanda.com/currency-converter/en/?from=EUR&to=USD&amount=1 7,000,000 See Also Additional records within MOLA that are other objects of interest. These are objects related to a larger collection. Breakout records have omitted 2024 Value information and Number of Objects. <a href="https://mola.omeka.net/admin/items/show/1728" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Qing Dynasty Bronze Rabbit and Rat Fountainheads</a> <a href="https://mola.omeka.net/admin/items/show/2381" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bronze Pig and Horse Heads from the Old Summer Palace</a> Images Source of the images uploaded to this record. Images should be labeled A, B, C, etc. For links, use a stable URL via Internet Archive. MIT Visualizing Cultures <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20251005182752/https://visualizingcultures.mit.edu/garden_perfect_brightness_03/ymy3_essay04.html">https://web.archive.org/web/20251005182752/https://visualizingcultures.mit.edu/garden_perfect_brightness_03/ymy3_essay04.html</a> Four Original Zodiac Heads from Yuanmingyuan Exhibited in Hong Kong <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20251128182519/https://en.people.cn/n3/2023/0704/c90000-20039305-5.html">https://web.archive.org/web/20251128182519/https://en.people.cn/n3/2023/0704/c90000-20039305-5.html</a> Description of Object(s) Provide a brief description of the object or objects in the record. Sculpted bronze heads of a monkey (18 in.), ox (17 in.) and tiger Size General size of the object (numbered 1-5); 1 - small or fragmentary (e.g. coins or sherds) 2 - medium (e.g. most vases) 3 - large (e.g. between a bread box and an adult) 4 - extra large (i.e. adult human sized) 5 - monumental (larger than an adult human) 2 Facilitator Person(s) involved in the trafficking of the object who did not own or sell it. James Bruce, eighth Earl of Elgin Culture Ancient culture associated with the object. Qing Dynasty (China) Provenance Summary A chronological history of the object's ownership history, starting with the oldest date first. Enter a year and summary of the transaction for reach provenance event. Monkey: Yuanmingyuan, Garden of Perfect Clarity, Summer Palace Beijing (1759-1860) Christie's New York, October 9, 1987, lot 134 Messrs. Stuart Blaine and Robert Booth Ox: Yuanmingyuan, Garden of Perfect Clarity, Summer Palace, Beijing (1759-1860) Christie's London, June 13, 1989, lot 68. Tiger: Yuanmingyuan, Garden of Perfect Clarity, Summer Palace, Beijing (1759-1860) Unknown Collection Auction Realized Price Approximate sale price of the object at auction. Should be displayed in USD, alongside list price in original currency. Ox: HKD 7,745,000 ( 994,272 USD) Tiger: HKD 14 million (1.79 million USD) Monkey: HKD 8,185,000 (1.05 million USD ) Criminal Behaviors Alleged Criminal behavior associated with the case. Please select all that apply. Colonial looting Image Captions Write a brief caption for each image included, providing context for what is shown. Images should be labeled A, B, C, etc. A. Bronze Ox Head B. Bronze Monkey Head C. Bronze Tiger Head Peer Reviewed By Person who peer reviewed this record. Lisa Duffy-Zeballos Research Notes Any additional notes about research questions, issues or further research needed. Unable to locate Sotheby's catalogue to get lot number for tiger. Findspot Approximate site or location where the object was found (i.e. the archaeological provenience). Yuanmingyuan, or Old Summer Palace in Beijing Alleged Looter Person(s) who removed the object from the findspot or original location. Anglo-French troops Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Old Summer Palace Zodiac Fountainheads: Ox, Monkey and Tiger China Poly Art Museum in Beijing https://d1y502jg6fpugt.cloudfront.net/77763/archive/files/335b9388661c497d45a53eacaa291603.jpg?Expires=1792022400&Signature=FGrvJpN6VrA8UmNs6AfsiuPqbrOLOK5qP5CH901TEFy2WvoyTcqqhQwq%7E8Uup1BZg7DccWpy1R%7EKzntl2s0BRE%7EuIzUcKXmasflZCYgml3z-NTY92MDtm47-wN1BfR5IHg-AWW7WbJY5jQIPAbsr9QbZZ--JkQ2Ttk6-w383%7E2vaUlCe8AKbEMjV4bhAcrFSzY3AZoX-hbulAgEVhnc0gqyXjhCoRXxJKBP77o0%7Ebm-KkhOYqL0%7ELj-X7puCCiRTacy1FkV8785HdXMpzN%7EeQumBrCqtc8lxyiRr5d8SjiztXJVPJ9oHspUNTtrn2uI6U1ZllOAm5fbr2T14u1E7QQ__&Key-Pair-Id=K6UGZS9ZTDSZM 5e71cb4c5814a4a8eb62908a3e8329e1 https://d1y502jg6fpugt.cloudfront.net/77763/archive/files/7aa5c4c69408771c527fa5880c24ae53.jpg?Expires=1792022400&Signature=sWXVgqK9C%7EoXyNOZYl0MfF68hAfKb1-VmgQBVxXbZAyy1L3qhNQa7MHnm9bhzi8xKP4%7EziIlNfi22uPNLxRHnGfASdAlgZooq2m2FkhdKZYQsMwjyiLZZTCCDqTmWjNi0CTJGlx2C7ZNk2zQGyXOvYtOywK1PTk64MHmne2BIvKXTvjlgR1lvVLJvdNoe894lU3NAea-LZhWaOvmvhVEMbp-LpkpCnDKku59yijRF%7ER6TF1ebsxxV5HjLY--l1fSEL-migd4ha05iWoHqBuNigFMMoyhBg4gWtsBrxDdDgAC4pOko1owlWOx5KojvcVbYz%7EpCMf9D0JHZDgA2aymKQ__&Key-Pair-Id=K6UGZS9ZTDSZM 0108e8a4ea52a591b7b3a60e0bfcb584 Physical Object An inanimate, three-dimensional object or substance. Note that digital representations of, or surrogates for, these objects should use Moving Image, Still Image, Text or one of the other types. Sending Country Country from which the object was returned during repatriation. Select from drop-down list. France Object or Group Name The common English name of the object or group of objects. Four Gold Foil Birds of Prey Case Summary Narrative summary of the object’s looting, identification by authorities and repatriation. This group of four birds of prey, constructed of gold foil and embossed with geometric designs, can be stylistically attributed to the Chinese Eastern Zhou culture’s Spring and Autumn period (circa 722-481 BCE). Although their precise context is lost, the pairs of foils likely adorned the coffin of a powerful individual. In 2015, the four birds, along with 28 additional gold foil adornments were repatriated to China from two French private collectors, following extensive investigations into their origins. In 2005, the People’s Republic of China’s Ministry of Culture and State Administration of Cultural Heritage (SACH) launched an investigation into 32 gold foils held at the Musée Guimet in Paris. Chinese archaeologist, Han Wei, saw the foils on a trip to France in 1994, and identified them as likely belonging to the Eastern Zhou culture. The ornaments were then in the possession of collector Christian Deydier, who had purchased them from a Hong Kong antiquities dealer in 1993. Deydier later sold four foils representing bird of prey to the French billionaire and collector Francois Pinault, who in turn donated them to the Musée Guimet. Deydier then donated the remaining 28 foils to the same museum, reuniting his original collection. Though the 2005 investigation and a 2006 French criminal case against Deydier and the Musée Guimet were both dropped for lack of evidence, the Chinese government continued to pursue the case. In 2010, it sent the Musée Guimet a formal request for the return of the foils, followed in 2014 by a formal notification that the objects may have been stolen. Chemical testing showed that the foils’ isotopic composition matched that of gold foils excavated from the Dapuzishan Mountain Range tomb site. This evidence, together with their stylistic similarity, presented a strong case that the foils were looted from the same site. In 2014, the French government agreed in principle to return the foils to China, though at the time French public museums were prohibited from deaccessioning objects. The French government orchestrated the retroactive nullification of the donations, allowing the museum to return the foils to their respective donors, who were then free to return them to the Chinese government. Pinault returned the four gold foils to the Chinese embassy on April 13, 2015, and one month later Deydier returned the remaining 28 foils to SACH. This case is significant as an early example of a non-legislative repatriation from France. The Museum Law of France (2002) designated all cultural objects in public museums as inalienable national patrimony, so that deaccessions required legislative exceptions. The return of the gold foils represented an effective workaround for repatriation without legislative action. The Museum Law was superseded by a 2026 law, empowering the French government to approve the restitution of stolen and looted objects by decree. The case also marked the beginning of China’s concerted effort to identify and repatriate its cultural patrimony. Whereas earlier efforts focused on donations, diplomacy, and buybacks, in around 2012, China’s strategy shifted toward multilateral declarations, new legal formulations, and a campaign to frame restitution as a moral issue rather than a strictly legal one. Number of Objects Count of objects reflected in this record. 32 Object Materials Material(s) that the object or group of objects is made of. Select from drop-down list. Gold Object Type Type of object based on its function. Select from drop-down list. Other Creation Date Year this object was created, in years BCE/CE; use circa if presenting a range. Use specific year, decade or century. circa 844—731 BCE Culture Ancient culture associated with the object. Eastern Zhou, Spring and Autumn Annals Country of Origin The modern country of origin that this object came from (i.e. where it was found). Select from drop-down list. China Findspot Approximate site or location where the object was found (i.e. the archaeological provenience). Dapuzishan Mountain (大堡子山) Private Collector Person who acquired the object for their personal collection. François Pinault Christian Deydier Museum Name Name of the institution that held this object before it was repatriated. Please use the official name of the institution. Musée Guimet Last Known Price, Valuation or Estimate The most recent reported price, valuation or estimate of the object. Should be displayed in USD, alongside list price in original currency. 1,118,000 USD Repatriated? Repatriation status of the object. Select from drop-down list. Yes Year Returned Year of the return of the object to its country of origin. 2015 Returning Entity Institution or individual that returned the object to its country of origin (not a law enforcement agency). Francois Pinault Receiving Country Country that received the object during repatriation. Select from drop-down list. China Reason for Return Why the object was returned. Select from list: Law enforcement seizure; court ordered civil forfeiture; claim from country of origin; voluntary return absent a forfeiture or claim; or other. Claim from country of origin Status Completion status of MOLA record. Select from drop-down list: Stub (Needs basic research), Incomplete (Missing key fields), In progress (Has been assigned), Ready for review (Complete; awaiting peer review) and Completed (Ready to publish). Only Completed records are made Public. Completed Research Notes Any additional notes about research questions, issues or further research needed. AC: Note--I pasted the provenance timeline in the Case Summary section, though it may be too detailed as it chronicles the negotiation process as well as the movement of the objects themselves. Also, I did not put the sale price of the objects in the Auction Price space because they were sold in a private transaction rather than an auction; please let me know if I should add it anyway. LD: Put timeline in provenance; noted discrepancies between TAN (2015) and Hao Liu article (2017). Information is based on the latter. Tags China Guimet Museum Sources Reliable sources of information related to the object and its repatriation. Preference to primary sources (court records, documents, archival sources) and authoritative secondary sources (media reports, blogs etc.). For links, use a stable URL via Internet Archive. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20201108103804/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/france/11721440/France-discreetly-returns-looted-gold-antiquities-to-China.html">France discreetly returns looted gold antiquities to China</a> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20260516235050/https://www.theartnewspaper.com/2015/05/12/french-collectors-hand-back-gold-to-china-they-had-given-to-musee-guimet">French collectors hand back gold to China they had given to Musée Guimet</a> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20260616212117/https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/international-journal-of-cultural-property/article/abs/take-the-long-way-home-the-recovery-of-32-chinese-gold-foils-from-france/C18F7C3F18E587BF09B69081BAB893E2">Hao Liu, "Take the Long Way Home: The Recovery of 32 Chinese Gold Foils from France," International Journal of Cultural Property (2017)</a> <a href="https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348243/how-china-stepping-cultural-repatriation-void-left-retreating-us">How China is stepping into the cultural repatriation void left by a retreating US</a> Han Wei (1995), "On the Qin Dynasty Gold Foil Ornaments Unearthed in Lixian County, Gansu", Wenwu. Year of Last Price Year of the most recent reported price, valuation or estimate of the object. 2015 Images Source of the images uploaded to this record. Images should be labeled A, B, C, etc. For links, use a stable URL via Internet Archive. <a href="https://en.people.cn/n/2015/0720/c90000-8923058.html">https://en.people.cn/n/2015/0720/c90000-8923058.html</a> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20260516235050/https://www.theartnewspaper.com/2015/05/12/french-collectors-hand-back-gold-to-china-they-had-given-to-musee-guimet">https://web.archive.org/web/20260516235050/https://www.theartnewspaper.com/2015/05/12/french-collectors-hand-back-gold-to-china-they-had-given-to-musee-guimet</a> Value in 2024 US Dollars Value in 2024 US Dollars, adjusted for inflation. Use inflation calculator here: https://www.oanda.com/currency-converter/en/?from=EUR&to=USD&amount=1 1,437,371 USD Alternate Name(s) Other names by which the object or group is known; these may be formal titles, museum titles or colloquial titles, if different from the above Object or Group Name. Bird-Shaped Gold Medallions Description of Object(s) Provide a brief description of the object or objects in the record. Four stylized birds of prey, made of gold foil embossed with geometric designs Size General size of the object (numbered 1-5); 1 - small or fragmentary (e.g. coins or sherds) 2 - medium (e.g. most vases) 3 - large (e.g. between a bread box and an adult) 4 - extra large (i.e. adult human sized) 5 - monumental (larger than an adult human) 2 Date Looted Approximate year that the object or group of objects was excavated or stolen. 1993 Expert Review Person(s) who analyzed the object or wrote about its authenticity, value or significance. Include here credit to people who identified the object as looted (relevant publications can be listed in Sources). Han Wei Museum Donation or Purchase? How did the museum acquire the object(s)? Select from drop-down list. Donation Current Location Place where the object is currently held. Provide as much information as possible (Institution, City and Country, when known). Gansu Provincial Museum, Lanzhou, China Provenance Summary A chronological history of the object's ownership history, starting with the oldest date first. Enter a year and summary of the transaction for reach provenance event. • 1993: Gold foils looted from Dapuzishan Mountain tomb, smuggled to Hong Kong, and sold to antiquities dealer; looters reportedly tell dealer that the foils originated from Lixian County in Gansu Province • 1993: Christian Deydier purchases 28 of the gold foils from Hong Kong dealer • 1993: Longnan Municipal Public Security Bureau identifies looters and antiquities dealers responsible for illegal excavation and sale • c. 1994: Christian Deydier purchases four additional gold foils, these shaped like birds of prey, from wife of dealer • 1994: Chinese archaeologist Han Wei views the foils in France and identifies them as characteristic of the Eastern Zhou culture in Gansu Province, likely hailing from a tomb • mid-1990s: Francois Pinault purchases the four bird-of-prey-shaped foils from Christian Deydier for €1 million and donates them to the Guimet Museum; Christian Deydier donates his 28 gold foils to the Guimet Museum • 24 February 2005: People’s Republic of China Ministry of Culture and State Administration of Cultural Heritage (SACH) launch investigation into Chinese cultural objects that had been smuggled overseas, including the four birds and 28 other gold foil objects, with the intent to recover the objects. Lack of evidence leads to suspension of case • 2006: China appoints Bernard Gomez to pursue repatriation of the 32 gold foils on behalf of the Chinese government; Gomez initiates criminal proceedings against Deydier, the Guimet Museum, and the French Ministry of Culture in a French court • 2 October 2006: criminal indictment brought against Deydier, the Guimet Museum, and the French Ministry of Culture • Late 2006: lawsuit dismissed due to lack of evidence • Late 2000s [?]: isotopic testing of foil artifacts excavated from Dapuzishan Mountain Region site strengthen case that objects were looted from Dapuzishan Mountain site • 2010: Chinese government sends letter to the Guimet Museum formally requesting the return of the 32 gold foils • 2014: Ministry of Culture launches new investigation into the gold foil objects • 2014: SACH formally notifies the French government that the foils may have been stolen • 25 March 2014: French government agrees to return the 32 gold foils to China in principle, begin negotiations on precise mechanism • 12 October 2014: SACH convenes conference of experts to establish Joint Franco-Chinese Expert Panel to advise on the recovery of the foils • Late 2014/early 2015: French government requests the Guimet ‘reverse’ donations and return the foils to Deydier and Pinault; Deydier and Pinault sign confidential agreement with Guimet Museum promising to return foils to China • 13 April 2015: Pinault returns four bird-of-prey-shaped foils to Chinese embassy • 13 May 2015: Deydier returns remaining 28 gold foils to SACH • 20 July 2015: SACH transfers the 32 foils to the Gansu Provincial Museum MOLA Contributor(s) Person(s) who contributed to the information in this record. Anonymous is an acceptable entry. Allison Casaly Peer Reviewed By Person who peer reviewed this record. Lisa Duffy-Zeballos Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Four Gold Foil Birds of Prey China Guimet Museum https://d1y502jg6fpugt.cloudfront.net/77763/archive/files/c297c314ed32f4feedcd1dc630b15e04.jpg?Expires=1792022400&Signature=IltreXR5yDbIdNsMn8OYAnzFE4yNx5vlCXTJymeYbVBg7ChOWKz-8yD3xaenLUeaC4Qg348O5NcfqLpAQZQzYqeLymgMrF9sdVvkX0-8KgzuUAkOyoiCnVz-MNzs5j0NOe8C9ryAApEiQnA%7E136tS9deJl5rwnETkFRTxU9pZ3dCY2htA4pi66evk-Q2W5kPAD7taC2vxH0lFBFq-N5iYo47UN9B8h4os8LrQqL9A9UKKZh3%7EQXaPIozR5iBvaMiWpoceK6cbJphBhU5uBH33nA8qsjEMH8iwBN-OCuqw-g%7EJgxeEQAhW95j8azNSxf%7EQCVqD8l0WEVUg1VrJ7rjPg__&Key-Pair-Id=K6UGZS9ZTDSZM e7b72433a047ca9a5d1514fd63450b6f https://d1y502jg6fpugt.cloudfront.net/77763/archive/files/764465e537ddeec8edc72dad8a6532f4.jpg?Expires=1792022400&Signature=DjBCvOWbdWAsKIgilxy9sHrRt0FK4yXAx4uP%7E0CnCqlxwqmNO8soUxfuxQlb2y-foUYmP0HMobl8FZP7ZrbXB78GKPtdAy5gbIg1MfWRXp4L4WnNM6AjDRjNJczy4HC5eIKsuplULljEpyaQouHVnnLE0GD4hB4IzCnHhUaztvPyxTlax6Zd81cJa4QINHdZ3uWrmsVbYXMfLT8r-tT%7EArM5XnezfLXGhNTdwJccp1blPG-0o1P3-epVu05qcPN9obhicPvzWGTjPg%7Ei5MfFkllepnDFW5-G5WaN%7ENobTPURZul2AANE8o3lJatmAMQY-CbIZjPNQeCTp-Ml9iedhQ__&Key-Pair-Id=K6UGZS9ZTDSZM 67312dbd6892400cd164b0d41c46ad8b Physical Object An inanimate, three-dimensional object or substance. Note that digital representations of, or surrogates for, these objects should use Moving Image, Still Image, Text or one of the other types. Sending Country Country from which the object was returned during repatriation. Select from drop-down list. France Object or Group Name The common English name of the object or group of objects. Qing Dynasty Bronze Rabbit and Rat Fountainheads Number of Objects Count of objects reflected in this record. 2 Object Type Type of object based on its function. Select from drop-down list. Ornament Culture Ancient culture associated with the object. Qing Dynasty Chinese Country of Origin The modern country of origin that this object came from (i.e. where it was found). Select from drop-down list. China Date Looted Approximate year that the object or group of objects was excavated or stolen. 1860 Last Known Price, Valuation or Estimate The most recent reported price, valuation or estimate of the object. Should be displayed in USD, alongside list price in original currency. $40,148,490 USD (€31,490,000) Repatriated? Repatriation status of the object. Select from drop-down list. Yes Year Returned Year of the return of the object to its country of origin. 2013 Returning Entity Institution or individual that returned the object to its country of origin (not a law enforcement agency). Francois-Henri Pinault Receiving Country Country that received the object during repatriation. Select from drop-down list. China Reason for Return Why the object was returned. Select from list: Law enforcement seizure; court ordered civil forfeiture; claim from country of origin; voluntary return absent a forfeiture or claim; or other. Claim from country of origin Images Source of the images uploaded to this record. Images should be labeled A, B, C, etc. For links, use a stable URL via Internet Archive. https://web.archive.org/web/20250927201552/https://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/24949 Status Completion status of MOLA record. Select from drop-down list: Stub (Needs basic research), Incomplete (Missing key fields), In progress (Has been assigned), Ready for review (Complete; awaiting peer review) and Completed (Ready to publish). Only Completed records are made Public. Ready for review Tags China Sources Reliable sources of information related to the object and its repatriation. Preference to primary sources (court records, documents, archival sources) and authoritative secondary sources (media reports, blogs etc.). For links, use a stable URL via Internet Archive. Two Bronze Animal Heads – China and Pierre Bergé <a href="https://plone.unige.ch/art-adr/cases-affaires/two-bronze-animal-heads-2013-china-and-pierre-berge">https://plone.unige.ch/art-adr/cases-affaires/two-bronze-animal-heads-2013-china-and-pierre-berge</a> Christie’s Leader Returns Ancient Bronzes to China <a href="Christie%E2%80%99s%20Leader%20Returns%20Ancient%20Bronzes%20to%20China">http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/06/28/christies-leader-returns-ancient-bronzes-to-china/?_r=0</a> French Court Throws Out Appeal over Yves St Laurent Chinese Bronzes as Christie's Sale Begins <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20090227132414/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/art/artsales/4788662/French-court-throws-out-appeal-over-Yves-St-Laurent-Chinese-bronzes-as-Christies-sale-begins.html">https://web.archive.org/web/20090227132414/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/art/artsales/4788662/French-court-throws-out-appeal-over-Yves-St-Laurent-Chinese-bronzes-as-Christies-sale-begins.html</a> Year of Last Price Year of the most recent reported price, valuation or estimate of the object. 2009 Research Notes Any additional notes about research questions, issues or further research needed. Value in 2024 US Dollars Value in 2024 US Dollars, adjusted for inflation. Use inflation calculator here: https://www.oanda.com/currency-converter/en/?from=EUR&to=USD&amount=1 $58,671,335 USD Case Summary Narrative summary of the object’s looting, identification by authorities and repatriation. This case concerns two lost-wax cast bronze fountainheads, one depicting a rabbit, the other a rat. They were two of twelve bronzes cast during the reign of Qing emperor Qianlong in the 18th century and looted following the Anglo-French destruction of the Old Summer Palace in Beijing. The stolen twelve zoomorphic bronzes once decorated the Haiyantang zodiac fountain, located within the Old Summer Palace or Yuanmingyuan (translated as “Garden of Perfect Brightness”), within the Forbidden City. The fountain, commissioned by the emperor from Jesuit designers Giuseppe Castiglione and Michel Benoist, functioned as a water clock, with each head spouting water for a two-hour period each day. The later Qing Dynasty was a period when Imperial Chinese influence on the world stage was especially challenging to the economic objectives of many Western nations, including England and France. In 1860, British High Commissioner to China, Lord Elgin, gave the order to sack and raze the palace as retribution for the execution of Western diplomats at the end of the Second Opium War. The fountainheads quickly entered the private market after being smuggled out of China by unknown individuals. It is unknown in whose collection the rabbit and rat heads resided between the 1860s and early 2000s. They first surfaced on the art market at Christie’s, Paris in February 2009, when they were consigned for sale by Pierre Bergé, the life partner of Yves Saint Laurent, after the latter’s death. Christie's argued that the fountainheads could be resold since Saint Laurent purchased the heads from Paris dealer Nicolas Kugel, who had previously obtained them from the collection of the Catalan painter and arts patron, José María Sert i Badia. China’s State Administration of Cultural Heritage (SACH) condemned the auction, while lawyer Ren Xiaohong from the Association for the Protection of Chinese Art in Europe (APACE) and 80 others attempted to block the sale. Days before the auction, however, a French appellate court dismissed the suit and ordered APACE to pay 1,000 euros in fines each to Christie's and Bergé. The successful bidder at auction was Cai Mingchao, advisor to China's National Treasures Fund who won the lots for a realized price of 15,745,000€ each. He then refused to pay on moral grounds. Bergé offered to return the bronzes to China for free, on the condition that China recognized the human rights of Tibetans and allowed the Dalai Lama into Chinese territory. This offer, which China clearly would not accept, was decried as disingenuous and further enflamed tensions. Eventually, François-Henri Pinault, chief executive of Kering, the luxury goods company that owns brands such as Gucci, Saint Laurent, as well as Christie’s auction house, purchased the fountainheads from Bergé for an undisclosed amount. In April 2013, he accompanied former French President François Hollande to Beijing to officially repatriate the bronzes. The return ceremony was attended by China’s highest-ranking female politician, Liu Yandong, vice premier of the State Council, as well as Mr. Pinault's father, also named François Pinault. The works are now installed at the National Museum of China. The outcome of this politically complicated restitution demonstrates that repatriation can be tied to corporate diplomacy. In this case, the voluntary restitution bolstered public relations for the Kering conglomerate as it sought to gain favor from wealthy Chinese consumers supportive of Beijing's cultural repatriation efforts. In a similar case, Macau casino billionaire Stanley Ho purchased the horse fountainhead at a Sotheby’s auction in Hong Kong in 2007 for USD $8,900,000, and returned it to China in 2019. Description of Object(s) Provide a brief description of the object or objects in the record. Two bronze fountainheads of a rabbit (45 x 35 cm) and a rat (30 x 40 cm) Size General size of the object (numbered 1-5); 1 - small or fragmentary (e.g. coins or sherds) 2 - medium (e.g. most vases) 3 - large (e.g. between a bread box and an adult) 4 - extra large (i.e. adult human sized) 5 - monumental (larger than an adult human) 2 Object Materials Material(s) that the object or group of objects is made of. Select from drop-down list. Bronze Creation Date Year this object was created, in years BCE/CE; use circa if presenting a range. Use specific year, decade or century. Qianlong period, 1736-1795 Alleged Looter Person(s) who removed the object from the findspot or original location. Unknown Facilitator Person(s) involved in the trafficking of the object who did not own or sell it. Lord Elgin Expert Review Person(s) who analyzed the object or wrote about its authenticity, value or significance. Include here credit to people who identified the object as looted (relevant publications can be listed in Sources). Li Xiaojie, Vice Minister of Culture and head of China’s state administration of cultural heritage. Auction House Auction house(s) that offered the object for auction. Christie's, Paris Auction Details Include details about the auction, such as: Location of the auction house branch (i.e. London, New York). Date of auction(s). Lot number used to offer the object at auction. Estimated value or value range in the auction listing, displayed in USD alongside price in original currency. Christie's, Paris February 25, 2009 Lot 677 and Lot 678 Estimated value €8 million-€10 million each (USD $10,200,000 - 12,750,000) Auction Realized Price Approximate sale price of the object at auction. Should be displayed in USD, alongside list price in original currency. €15,745,000 each ($20,074,875 USD) Private Collector Person who acquired the object for their personal collection. Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé Criminal Behaviors Alleged Criminal behavior associated with the case. Please select all that apply. Colonial looting Current Location Place where the object is currently held. Provide as much information as possible (Institution, City and Country, when known). National Museum of China Documents Link to key records or publications related to the object that are not available online. (looked in Document Cloud for Qing Bronzes and Henri Pinault...no luck) Image Captions Write a brief caption for each image included, providing context for what is shown. Images should be labeled A, B, C, etc. A. Rat Fountainhead B. Rabbit Fountainhead MOLA Contributor(s) Person(s) who contributed to the information in this record. Anonymous is an acceptable entry. Damien Huffer Peer Reviewed By Person who peer reviewed this record. Jason Felch Lisa Duffy-Zeballos Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Qing Dynasty Bronze Rabbit and Rat Fountainheads China France https://d1y502jg6fpugt.cloudfront.net/77763/archive/files/d827ac7cbd677c6bee0b8d84dea927a4.jpg?Expires=1792022400&Signature=Mr73-e0bYqbXaWmWVmdWisjln-C6SSGd5D8M5aIVtSnI-SVX11MGeuv%7Es6IQHoSXlyzOyj3Pjjcp0UCgKHPDuTe58gZ4M248830CRuTXxUmzdJIX4WmO%7EehV2erizUpk4vlPtuGOvw2UCGLirBAKyxB1xZn0x3VFM8sxXcTzr0Mw8RLWD7Pw6ynoN2Kv5akNqYHCGIFiAe5dUf-nIijv17WKl3W08x24PSoBg0BfUkB3yd%7E1oAilI90DC99aIYBwDkhbm5eC5Uoz3C%7Edz1NRuQBUFjdrfI%7Ecc-THE%7EqLLKbRzh9V2P%7EPOYMzDUMs1I-NUD2eJAf8D-WI7E8A3Tz0ww__&Key-Pair-Id=K6UGZS9ZTDSZM 6d21a05696543d260546e354bf445bb2 Physical Object An inanimate, three-dimensional object or substance. Note that digital representations of, or surrogates for, these objects should use Moving Image, Still Image, Text or one of the other types. Alleged Looter Person(s) who removed the object from the findspot or original location. Unknown tomb robbers Auction Details Include details about the auction, such as: Location of the auction house branch (i.e. London, New York). Date of auction(s). Lot number used to offer the object at auction. Estimated value or value range in the auction listing, displayed in USD alongside price in original currency. Auction date: March 2000 Auction estimate: USD $400,000 to $500,000 Auction House Auction house(s) that offered the object for auction. Christie's (NYC) Case Summary Narrative summary of the object’s looting, identification by authorities and repatriation. The 10th century Five Dynasties Tomb of Wang Chuzhi, in western Xiyanchuan Village, Hebei Province had been undisturbed from the time of Wang Chuzhi's death in 923 CE until its rediscovery in 1980. In summer 1994, thieves used dynamite to blast their way into the inner sanctum. Within the tomb, several life-size wall panels were encountered depicting courtier musicians, among 10 relief sculptures and wall paintings. After the break in, archaeologists conducted salvage excavations in 1995, documenting the colour palette and dimensions of the voids left by the removal of the panels – information crucial to establishing that this wall panel recovered later had come from Wang Chuzhi's tomb. In March 2000, the relief was offered for sale at Christie's in New York on consignment from M&C Gallery in Hong Kong, with an estimated value of USD $400,000 to $500,000. The relief was seized by U.S. Customs agents before its sale based upon evidence provided by Chinese archaeologists and cultural officials strongly suggesting it was one of those missing from Wang Chuzhi's tomb. The tomb was a protected cultural monument and thus state property. In May 2001, US authorities filed a civil forfeiture action in federal court in New York and returned the relief to China. The panel now resides in the National Museum of China, Beijing. Country of Origin The modern country of origin that this object came from (i.e. where it was found). Select from drop-down list. China Court Case and Number Title of the civil or criminal case and number (e.g. New York v. Subhash Kapoor, CR-022431-19NY). United States v. One Tenth Century Marble Wall Panel Sculpture of a Guardian From The Tomb of Wang Chuzi Located at Christies, 20 Rockefeller Plaza, New York, NY, 00 Civ. 2356 (AKH). Creation Date Year this object was created, in years BCE/CE; use circa if presenting a range. Use specific year, decade or century. 1000 CE Criminal Behaviors Alleged Criminal behavior associated with the case. Please select all that apply. Theft (stolen from a documented collection, rather than looted) Culture Ancient culture associated with the object. Chinese Current Location Place where the object is currently held. Provide as much information as possible (Institution, City and Country, when known). National Museum of China, Beijing Date Looted Approximate year that the object or group of objects was excavated or stolen. 1994 Dealer Person(s) who offered the object for sale. Man Kim Description of Object(s) Provide a brief description of the object or objects in the record. A complete marble wall panel, possibly depicting the Tang-Liang Dynasty military governor Wang Chuzhi himself. It shows an approximately life-size adult male figure in full regalia, with traces of pigment. It is one of several that lined Wang Chuzhi's tomb. In total, 10 relief sculptures and wall paintings were taken. Expert Review Person(s) who analyzed the object or wrote about its authenticity, value or significance. Include here credit to people who identified the object as looted (relevant publications can be listed in Sources). Marc F. Wilson (Director of Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City, MO) examined the panel, hoping to bid on it and acquire it for the museum. Findspot Approximate site or location where the object was found (i.e. the archaeological provenience). c. 10th century tomb of Wang Chuzhi in western Xiyanchuan Village, Hebei Provence Gallery Name of the gallery, shop or dealership where the object was offered for sale, with the name of the city where the gallery was located in parentheses. M&C Gallery (Hong Kong) Image Captions Write a brief caption for each image included, providing context for what is shown. Images should be labeled A, B, C, etc. A wall panel from the tomb of Wang Chuzi Images Source of the images uploaded to this record. Images should be labeled A, B, C, etc. For links, use a stable URL via Internet Archive. <a href="https://research.cgu.edu/cultural-property-disputes-resource/wp-content/uploads/sites/63/2021/01/painted_stone_relief_of_a_warrior.jpg" class="hoverZoomLink">https://research.cgu.edu/cultural-property-disputes-resource/wp-content/uploads/sites/63/2021/01/painted_stone_relief_of_a_warrior.jpg</a> Last Known Price, Valuation or Estimate The most recent reported price, valuation or estimate of the object. Should be displayed in USD, alongside list price in original currency. USD $400,000 Law Enforcement Entity The law enforcement entities that investigated the object before its repatriation. US Customs MOLA Contributor(s) Person(s) who contributed to the information in this record. Anonymous is an acceptable entry. Damien Huffer Number of Objects Count of objects reflected in this record. 1 Object Materials Material(s) that the object or group of objects is made of. Select from drop-down list. Marble Object Type Type of object based on its function. Select from drop-down list. Funerary Object – coffins, mummy portraits, grave goods Architecture – antefixes, doors, sconces, friezes Object or Group Name The common English name of the object or group of objects. Guardian from the Five Dynasties Tomb Peer Reviewed By Person who peer reviewed this record. Jason Felch Prosecuting Entity The prosecutorial entity involved in the object’s repatriation. US Attorney's Office in the Southern District of New York (SDNY) Reason for Return Why the object was returned. Select from list: Law enforcement seizure; court ordered civil forfeiture; claim from country of origin; voluntary return absent a forfeiture or claim; or other. Court ordered civil forfeiture Receiving Country Country that received the object during repatriation. Select from drop-down list. China Repatriated? Repatriation status of the object. Select from drop-down list. Yes Returning Entity Institution or individual that returned the object to its country of origin (not a law enforcement agency). Christie's Sending Country Country from which the object was returned during repatriation. Select from drop-down list. USA Size General size of the object (numbered 1-5); 1 - small or fragmentary (e.g. coins or sherds) 2 - medium (e.g. most vases) 3 - large (e.g. between a bread box and an adult) 4 - extra large (i.e. adult human sized) 5 - monumental (larger than an adult human) 4 Sources Reliable sources of information related to the object and its repatriation. Preference to primary sources (court records, documents, archival sources) and authoritative secondary sources (media reports, blogs etc.). For links, use a stable URL via Internet Archive. United States seeks to return 10th-century Chinese sculpture <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20081122003310/http://www.zateev.net/ontarget/bodies/chinese_sculpture.html">https://web.archive.org/web/20081122003310/http://www.zateev.net/ontarget/bodies/chinese_sculpture.html</a> U.S. Customs Service Returns Rare 10th Century Burial Sculpture To China <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20091018071757/http://www.cbp.gov/hot-new/pressrel/2001/0523-04.htm">https://web.archive.org/web/20091018071757/http://www.cbp.gov/hot-new/pressrel/2001/0523-04.htm</a> Alleging Theft, U.S. Demands Rare Sculpture Go Back to China <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2000/03/30/nyregion/alleging-theft-us-demands-rare-sculpture-go-back-to-china.html">https://www.nytimes.com/2000/03/30/nyregion/alleging-theft-us-demands-rare-sculpture-go-back-to-china.html</a> Returning Stolen Cultural Property Tomb of Wang Chuzi Marble Wall Relief <a href="https://blogs.bu.edu/aberlin/files/2011/10/Levine-2002-Chinese-Wall.pdf">https://blogs.bu.edu/aberlin/files/2011/10/Levine-2002-Chinese-Wall.pdf</a> Status Completion status of MOLA record. Select from drop-down list: Stub (Needs basic research), Incomplete (Missing key fields), In progress (Has been assigned), Ready for review (Complete; awaiting peer review) and Completed (Ready to publish). Only Completed records are made Public. Completed Value in 2024 US Dollars Value in 2024 US Dollars, adjusted for inflation. Use inflation calculator here: https://www.oanda.com/currency-converter/en/?from=EUR&to=USD&amount=1 740,497 Year Returned Year of the return of the object to its country of origin. 2001 Year of Last Price Year of the most recent reported price, valuation or estimate of the object. 2000 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Guardian from the Five Dynasties Tomb China Christie's https://d1y502jg6fpugt.cloudfront.net/77763/archive/files/8977f22bae84890d803c1551c2771904.jpeg?Expires=1792022400&Signature=N4VYNrB84bHneK2uqTUdNPGUiVBac8DfcluwbyHP-UIHaPVjco3vkxqnFJOEJjSQG5Ln7PuWQYHjX1WDQZqpnJnHD6NWBRUEcOglP6Ow93NMAroBdGosEiJtImAL-dgElbRU95IlDFOOtyZ3P5Zywl-WAWSbowxkHYhavVkXIgE2iR9KpCsqMk15xjeN6MZDKAFid4HUqNEMQi6tDuPms4jEVo%7Eg18LyeqJazMMvd9Aro8nMsmUvy9bUCHt%7EkcAiVdUHE4vt1gsDq3kzxVE0VyRk%7ElzBE5ITpEuVEVEtSBcrc6eGpqkiYFudHsxjfGWBrDTAAcjLb5k5ysHJ1Dll3g__&Key-Pair-Id=K6UGZS9ZTDSZM 42b8c6f0ba6238313d40948c5f458fdd https://d1y502jg6fpugt.cloudfront.net/77763/archive/files/2c6fc913f56575eaa46a4932b1e6c0e9.jpg?Expires=1792022400&Signature=TXIj0tFkLUmZexNTRhmMesp02LCtr%7EhFxoc-amKtagMXnZJZbhwNgeBeuQ7a3Xdjp5pd%7ExaIAsBRkA3deEuqEsixPC46IbCSihOVFbpdxKjpYVCQR4wE6VjwsFlnM2m3NcvtSKeXDgqd0SHjgNevA5PHHl4X4XnqBRJqY0qpIP2zPOrG0zKsmss%7EPDCcCpcg%7E4aTXLJdeuih5OsphKZwt8hlFlW9ZEDqpiYszPPL8wm7Saud8nRoEu2yqiK8YT8MLbj7NEWi8FQ-It3XWSYoTWoJloDvnnT008kLDCJpQnWVy-SW9QxrUVgOK5edxSQ-x4r7RvjVwHUwrIFuRC5XDg__&Key-Pair-Id=K6UGZS9ZTDSZM d36bfb28000ecb696ea1373d53250c8f Physical Object An inanimate, three-dimensional object or substance. Note that digital representations of, or surrogates for, these objects should use Moving Image, Still Image, Text or one of the other types. Object or Group Name The common English name of the object or group of objects. Horse and Boar Heads from the Old Summer Palace Case Summary Narrative summary of the object’s looting, identification by authorities and repatriation. These two bronze zodiac heads once formed part of the clepsydra (water clock) that adorned the entrance to the Western style Yuanmingyuan or Old Summer Palace gardens in Beijing. The fountain featured the twelve Chinese zodiac sculptures with bronze animal heads atop stone bodies, each of which spouted water at designated hours of the day. After the sacking of the Summer Palace by Anglo-French forces in 1860, the zodiac heads were stolen and dispersed among private collections. In 2000, the first three heads - the ox, tiger, and monkey - reemerged on the art market, where they were purchased by the Chinese state-owned Poly Group. They are currently housed in the Poly Art Museum in Beijing. In 2003, the National Treasure Funds of China (NTFC), a non-profit organization working to repatriate Chinese cultural heritage, discovered that the pig head was in a private New York collection. The fund negotiated the purchase of the pig with funds provided by the Macau-based gambling magnate, Stanley Ho, who donated over $770,000 USD. The following year, the fund donated the boar head to the Poly Art Museum, where it joins the three previously recovered zodiac heads. Four years after the recovery of the pig head, the horse head was listed in the Sotheby's Hong Kong October 9, 2007 sale of ceramics and works of art. The consignor, a Taiwanese collector, had purchased it at Sotheby's in London in 1989 for $400,000. In contrast to the pig head, which in 2003 sold for under $1 million, the horse had a presale estimate of $10 million. Despite the Chinese government's strong objections, Sotheby's initially intended to proceed with the sale. Shortly before the auction, however, Sotheby's privately brokered the sale of the horse head to Stanley Ho for $8.88 million. Sotheby's indicated that the seller agreed to the terms in light of Ho's intention to eventually donate the sculpture to China. Ho exhibited the horse head in Hong Kong and at his casino in Macau until 2019, when his family donated it to the Chinese National Cultural Heritage Administration (NCHA). The horse was first zodiac fountain sculpture returned to the reconstructed Yuanmingyuan Park complex in Beijing. Number of Objects Count of objects reflected in this record. 2 Object Type Type of object based on its function. Select from drop-down list. Sculpture – statues, carvings, bronzes, reliefs, figurines Size General size of the object (numbered 1-5); 1 - small or fragmentary (e.g. coins or sherds) 2 - medium (e.g. most vases) 3 - large (e.g. between a bread box and an adult) 4 - extra large (i.e. adult human sized) 5 - monumental (larger than an adult human) 3 Object Materials Material(s) that the object or group of objects is made of. Select from drop-down list. Bronze Creation Date Year this object was created, in years BCE/CE; use circa if presenting a range. Use specific year, decade or century. 1760 Country of Origin The modern country of origin that this object came from (i.e. where it was found). Select from drop-down list. China Findspot Approximate site or location where the object was found (i.e. the archaeological provenience). Old Summer Palace, Beijing Date Looted Approximate year that the object or group of objects was excavated or stolen. 1860 Alleged Looter Person(s) who removed the object from the findspot or original location. Anglo-French forces Private Collector Person who acquired the object for their personal collection. Stanley Ho Last Known Price, Valuation or Estimate The most recent reported price, valuation or estimate of the object. Should be displayed in USD, alongside list price in original currency. Boar Head $770,000 USD Horse Head $8.88 million USD ($69.1 million HK) Year of Last Price Year of the most recent reported price, valuation or estimate of the object. 2003 Boar Head 2007 Horse Head Repatriated? Repatriation status of the object. Select from drop-down list. Yes Year Returned Year of the return of the object to its country of origin. 2003 2007 Sending Country Country from which the object was returned during repatriation. Select from drop-down list. USA Taiwan Returning Entity Institution or individual that returned the object to its country of origin (not a law enforcement agency). Stanley Ho & National Treasure Funds of China Receiving Country Country that received the object during repatriation. Select from drop-down list. China Reason for Return Why the object was returned. Select from list: Law enforcement seizure; court ordered civil forfeiture; claim from country of origin; voluntary return absent a forfeiture or claim; or other. Voluntary return absent a forfeiture or claim Sources Reliable sources of information related to the object and its repatriation. Preference to primary sources (court records, documents, archival sources) and authoritative secondary sources (media reports, blogs etc.). For links, use a stable URL via Internet Archive. Relics and Controversy: The Controversy Surrounding the 12 Zodiac Animal Heads <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20251115183950/https://visualizingcultures.mit.edu/garden_perfect_brightness_03/ymy3_essay04.html">https://web.archive.org/web/20251115183950/https://visualizingcultures.mit.edu/garden_perfect_brightness_03/ymy3_essay04.html</a> Christie's Auction Controversy Reveals Dilemma <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20251231205248/http://www.china.org.cn/culture/2009-02/16/content_17286824.htm">https://web.archive.org/web/20251231205248/http://www.china.org.cn/culture/2009-02/16/content_17286824.htm</a> Treasure Stolen from Old Summer Palace Returns Home after 160-year Odyssey <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20260102174540/https://www.chnmus.net/sitesources/hnbwy/page_pc/News/article15b74980772140f6982dbf2079c37ed9.html">https://web.archive.org/web/20260102174540/https://www.chnmus.net/sitesources/hnbwy/page_pc/News/article15b74980772140f6982dbf2079c37ed9.html</a> Research Notes Any additional notes about research questions, issues or further research needed. LD: I think the zodiac heads would be a good subject for an exhibition! JF: Agreed! Separated objects in various fields with Add Input. Status Completion status of MOLA record. Select from drop-down list: Stub (Needs basic research), Incomplete (Missing key fields), In progress (Has been assigned), Ready for review (Complete; awaiting peer review) and Completed (Ready to publish). Only Completed records are made Public. Completed Value in 2024 US Dollars Value in 2024 US Dollars, adjusted for inflation. Use inflation calculator here: https://www.oanda.com/currency-converter/en/?from=EUR&to=USD&amount=1 Boar Head- $1.165 million Horse Head $13.37 million Current Location Place where the object is currently held. Provide as much information as possible (Institution, City and Country, when known). Boar- Poly Art Museum, Beijing Horse- National Cultural Heritage Administration (Yuanmingyuan Park, Beijing) Images Source of the images uploaded to this record. Images should be labeled A, B, C, etc. For links, use a stable URL via Internet Archive. Four Original Heads from Yuanmingyuan exhibited in Hong Kong <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20251201062948/https://en.people.cn/n3/2023/0704/c90000-20039305-4.html">https://web.archive.org/web/20251201062948/https://en.people.cn/n3/2023/0704/c90000-20039305-4.html</a> Bronze Statue of Horse's Head to be Exhibited at Old Summer Palace <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20260102180944/https://global.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202011/18/WS5fb4ebcda31024ad0ba94fa9.html">https://web.archive.org/web/20260102180944/https://global.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202011/18/WS5fb4ebcda31024ad0ba94fa9.html</a> Image Captions Write a brief caption for each image included, providing context for what is shown. Images should be labeled A, B, C, etc. A. Bronze Horse Head from the Zodiac water-clock fountain, Old Summer Palace B. Bronze Boar Head from the Zodiac water-clock fountain, Old Summer Palace See Also Additional records within MOLA that are other objects of interest. These are objects related to a larger collection. Breakout records have omitted 2024 Value information and Number of Objects. <a href="https://mola.omeka.net/admin/items/show/1728" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bronze Rabbit and Rat Fountainheads </a> <a href="https://mola.omeka.net/admin/items/show/1697" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ox, Monkey and Tiger Fountainheads</a> Description of Object(s) Provide a brief description of the object or objects in the record. Bronze heads of a pig and a horse, two of the twelve zodiac sculptures that adorned the water-clock fountain at the Old Summer Palace Provenance Summary A chronological history of the object's ownership history, starting with the oldest date first. Enter a year and summary of the transaction for reach provenance event. Boar's Head: Old Summer Palace, Beijing 1746-1860 Private Collector: New York(acquired unknown date- 2003) Stanley Ho, Macau & National Treasure Funds of China (NTFC)(2003) Poly Art Museum, Beijing, 2004-present Horse's Head: Old Summer Palace, Beijing 1746-1860 [Sotheby's London, 1989] Private Collector, Taiwan (acquired from above) Stanley Ho, Macau (2007) National Cultural Heritage Administration: Old Summer Palace, Beijing (2019-present) MOLA Contributor(s) Person(s) who contributed to the information in this record. Anonymous is an acceptable entry. Lisa Duffy-Zeballos Auction House Auction house(s) that offered the object for auction. Sotheby's Auction Details Include details about the auction, such as: Location of the auction house branch (i.e. London, New York). Date of auction(s). Lot number used to offer the object at auction. Estimated value or value range in the auction listing, displayed in USD alongside price in original currency. Horse Head Hong Kong, October 9, 2007 Estimate $80 million HK ($10 million USD) Culture Ancient culture associated with the object. Chinese Criminal Behaviors Alleged Criminal behavior associated with the case. Please select all that apply. Colonial looting Peer Reviewed By Person who peer reviewed this record. Jason Felch Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Horse and Boar Heads from the Old Summer Palace China Taiwan USA