.
The National Museum of Taipei is currently exhibiting a number of items from the Qing Dynasty Emperor Yongzheng, including 37 items on loan to them from the Palace Museum in Beijing.
The loan of Chinese artefacts to Taipei is said to be a sign of warming ties between China and Taiwan, and the exhibition will undoubtedly be a huge success and one I’d love to see.
But two items, both Qing dynasty bronzes which were owned by late Yves St Laurent, will not be on show for they were allegedly stolen from the Beijing Palace by invading French and British forces in 1860 at the end of the Second Opium War. The Teipei museum took the view that they didn’t want to exhibit ‘disputed artefacts’.
The decision is undoubtedly a correct one and one which will have pleased the Chinese authorities who are seeking the return of the two items which are now in the possession of Saint Laurent’s partner.
It is also an interesting decision for many museums around the world must equally be in possession of artefacts which, at one time or another, were illegally taken from their former owners.
Like the Elgin Marbles, perhaps?
.
The National Museum of Taipei is currently exhibiting a number of items from the Qing Dynasty Emperor Yongzheng, including 37 items on loan to them from the Palace Museum in Beijing.
The loan of Chinese artefacts to Taipei is said to be a sign of warming ties between China and Taiwan, and the exhibition will undoubtedly be a huge success and one I’d love to see.
But two items, both Qing dynasty bronzes which were owned by late Yves St Laurent, will not be on show for they were allegedly stolen from the Beijing Palace by invading French and British forces in 1860 at the end of the Second Opium War. The Teipei museum took the view that they didn’t want to exhibit ‘disputed artefacts’.
The decision is undoubtedly a correct one and one which will have pleased the Chinese authorities who are seeking the return of the two items which are now in the possession of Saint Laurent’s partner.
It is also an interesting decision for many museums around the world must equally be in possession of artefacts which, at one time or another, were illegally taken from their former owners.
Like the Elgin Marbles, perhaps?
.
No comments:
Post a Comment