Two valuable Chinese stone carvings dating back to the 7th century have finally been repatriated to China after spending decades in storage at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg made the announcement this week, revealing that the pair of carvings, worth an estimated $3.5 million, had been returned to their rightful home.
The Chinese stone carvings are believed to have been unlawfully removed from a Chinese tomb in the early 1990s. They were then loaned to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 1998 by collector and philanthropist Shelby White, who currently serves on the museum’s board of trustees. The artifacts had remained in storage at the museum for the past 25 years, never being publicly displayed. The circumstances of how White came to possess the pieces are unclear.
During a repatriation ceremony held at the Chinese Consulate, Consul General Huang Ping highlighted the significance of cultural property as a link between the past and the present, connecting different countries and cultures. He expressed the importance of combating crimes against cultural property as a sacred mission.
The intricate stone carvings, weighing over 1,000 pounds and spanning several feet in length, depict scenes from the Zoroastrian religion. The carvings feature various symbols, including demons, dogs, and masked caretakers of the sacred flame.
District Attorney Alvin Bragg expressed his regret that these remarkable antiquities had been stolen and kept hidden from public view for nearly three decades. He emphasized that their value, estimated at over $3 million, extends beyond a price tag, as their beauty and historical significance cannot be measured.
These two carvings are just a fraction of the larger investigation into Shelby White’s collection. The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, led by assistant district attorney Matthew Bogdanos, seized a total of 89 antiquities from 10 different countries as part of the ongoing criminal investigation. The combined value of these objects is estimated to be nearly $69 million.
The investigation, which has been ongoing for years, led to a search warrant being issued for White’s New York residence in June 2021. Authorities seized five artifacts during that search and discovered an additional 18 objects during a subsequent search in April 2022.
In February of this year, the investigation concluded, and Matthew Bogdanos filed a statement with the New York State Supreme Court. The statement confirmed that White had fully cooperated with the investigation, and there was no evidence to warrant charging her with any criminal activity related to the purchase and possession of the antiquities.
When asked for comment, Bogdanos simply stated that they had conducted a criminal investigation, seized stolen antiquities, including the Chinese carvings, and repatriated them to their lawful owner, China.