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Asian Art Provenance Project

Photograph of women walking in front of large colourful painting by Rodel Tapaya.

Installation view of Rodel Tapaya, The promise land: the moon, the sun, the stars, 2016 (detail), purchased 2017

  • About
  • Collection Areas
  • Media

About


The National Gallery’s Asian Art Provenance Project, which was launched in 2014, has resulted in deaccession and repatriation of a number of works to their countries of origin.

Since the arrest of art dealer Subhash Kapoor in 2011, all artworks acquired by the National Gallery from his New York dealership Art of the Past have now been deaccessioned. This includes the return to India of Shiva as Lord of the Dance (Nataraja).

Download PDF Acquisitions from Art of the Past, New York.

The Asian Art Provenance Project was reviewed by the Honourable Susan Crennan AC, former Justice of the High Court of Australia, in 2015.

You can read the 2015 Crennan review here.

Do you have information about any of the works of art in our collection?

We would love to hear from you. To share your knowledge, please email us at provenance@nga.gov.au.

watercolour of the goddess Lakshmi sitting on a lotus throne with elephants on either side that sprinkle water from the holy River Ganges

Kalighat Style, Lakshmi, Goddess of Prosperity and Beauty, lustrated by elephants [Gajalakshmi], 1855–60, The Gayer-Anderson Gift 1954

Collection Areas


  • Provenance

    East Asia

    Ceramic sculpture of saddled horse
  • Provenance

    South Asia

    Close up photograph of conservator fixing colourful textile on table
  • Provenance

    Southeast Asia

    A red, green and blue tapestry richly embroidered with gold thread forming flowering trees and a pair of bouraq, a mythical winged animal
  • Provenance

    Gayer-Anderson Collection

    Painting of a man seated on an elephant. Two men hold spears with one being tripped by the elephant's trunk.
  • Provenance

    Works of art acquired from Art of the Past, New York

    Photograph of entrance to building, camera facing upwards to the sky

Media Releases


Media releases related to the project can be accessed at the following links:

  • National Gallery of Australian returns 14 works of art to India 2021.07.11
  • National Gallery of Australia to return three Indian sculptures 2019.11.27
  • Statement from the National Gallery of Australia regarding Subhash Kapoor 2019.07.11
  • National Gallery of Australia confirms four sculptures under investigation by Tamil Nadu Police 2017.04.21
  • NGA returns two sculptures to India 2016.09.19
  • Buddha announcement 2015.03.06
  • Independent reviewer 2015.03.06
  • Independent review 2014.12.19
  • Q&A update Shiva 2014.09.05
  • Statement 2014.09.05
  • Statement 2014.03.27
  • Q&A Shiva 2014.03.24
  • Statement 2014.02.06
  • Statement 2013.12.05
  • Statement 2013.06.13
  • Statement 2012.08.03

Related


Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Art Provenance Project

Painting of native grasses after the rain in pink, yellow, black, and white.

We apply the highest ethical standards to safeguard and protect the cultural property of art by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists.

Research Library & Archives

Photograph of building exterior with blue sky and wire sphere sculpture

The Library houses comprehensive collection of visual arts literature, is open from Monday to Friday, 10am – 4.45pm, except on public holidays.

Provenance

South Asia

Close up photograph of conservator fixing colourful textile on table

The art of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka has always been central to the NGA collection.

How to Read Provenance Information

Photograph of woman seated at table with laptop and archival material surrounding her

Charting the changes in ownership of a work of art depends on documents such as wills, archives, receipts, auction sales and dealers' receipts.

European & American Art Provenance Project
1933–1945

Painting of a grassy path through a village

Investigation into the provenance of artwork presumed to have been in Europe between 1933 and 1945. Do you have information about any of these works?

Provenance

Gayer-Anderson Collection

Painting of a man seated on an elephant. Two men hold spears with one being tripped by the elephant's trunk.

We are keen to hear from you about this project, so please share your knowledge.

Yuuma, Gurruburri

The National Gallery acknowledges the Ngunnawal and Ngambri peoples, the Traditional Custodians of the Kamberri/Canberra region, and recognises their continuous connection to culture, community and Country.

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Aerial view of artist Lola Greeno walking along Rocky Beach
Aerial view of artist Lola Greeno walking along Rocky Beach
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