Kapoor Files- Art of the Loot Part 10- Nagapattinam Buddha

In our continuing pursuit to bring to light the extent of the rot – today we move away from Hindu dieties and metal – to stone and Buddha – not any Buddha but a Buddha from Nagapattinam 11th Century. This was a dynamic period in the Chola rule when the mighty Emperor Sri Raja Raja ruled much of South India. His extensive donations to the Soodamani Vihara in Nagapattinam is studied to this day and to spot one such piece in the September 2010 Catalogue of now arrested Subash Kapoor’s Art of Past is the subject of our post today.


What is interesting is there is this particular article in the Hindu with the image dated Nov 11th 2012, which seem to bear a remarkable likeness to the catalog sculpture.

The foot note makes it even more interesting: ” The Buddhist statue marked for theft by alleged Kapoor associate, Sanjivi Asokan, but not stolen owing to police action.”

and the report goes ” One Buddhist idol was said to have been marked for theft by Kapoor’s alleged head of operations in Tamil Nadu, the now-imprisoned Sanjivi Asokan. However, that idol was ultimately not stolen, quite likely due to timely action by authorities. “

The image in the publication is not very clear but there is a very important clue in the Buddha’s hand – his right thumb is broken.

A careful study of the catalog reveals the same breakage in it as well.

Now obviously something is amiss. The Catalog listing also boasts that the said sculpture was exhibited in the Asian Civilisations Museum, Singapore ” On the Nalanda Trial “ from 1st Nov 2007 to 23rd March 2008. It was a prestigious exhibition which was seen even by the Prime Minister of India Dr Manmohan Singh.

The Press release of the ACM for the event has this said sculpture with a detailed foot note as well



“…viewed stunning Buddhist art, including this 11th Century stone sculpture from South India, weighing over 700 kg.”

Now, what timely action are we talking off. The photo in the Hindu seems to be of the Buddha in situ in a site in India ( large temple wall abutting it??) –

Kapoor Files- Art of the Loot Part 9- Toledo Ganesha

We had promised for some explosive revelations on this case. Here is the first of the next set. We go back to photos published by the Idol Wing.

The first of the green marked ones – the Ganesha.

Ever since this case has been in the open, we have been running through various Museum databases and acquisitions and cross checking with the images published by the Idol wing. This bronze currently in the Toledo Museum came up in our searches as it was acquired in 2006 ( for the acquisition number)

On further checking we notices that the Museum has had a lot of interaction with the accused Subash Kapoor and he is listed in their annual report 2007 ( refer the end notes). We could not find the gallery’s 2006 Annual report and hence are not aware if the provenance information is declared in that document.

However a simple comparison reveals that we are looking at the same Sripuranthan Ganesha

Lets take a closer look – there is a small blemish in the trunk ( wish we could receive better quality images of the same)


Thanks to a friendly associate who took the pains to drive up to the Museum and get us high resolution images we can check the bronze in toledo and match the same.

The Hands, base pedestal, the loin cloth ornamentation all match up.



Now, it is upto the authorities to seek the return of this looted deity.

Foot Note:

Annual report 2007 of the Toledo Museum ( extract):

Burmese, Buddhist Votive Plaque, 12th–13th century, terra cotta,
Gift of Subhash Kapoor, 2007.113
Burmese, Buddhist Votive Plaque, 12th–13th century, terra cotta,
Gift of Subhash Kapoor, 2007.114
Indian, Gupta Period, Seated Mother, 5th century, terra cotta, terra
cotta, Gift of Subhash Kapoor, 2007.107
Indian, Gupta Period, Standing Monkey, 6th century, terra cotta,
Gift of Subhash Kapoor, 2007.108
Indian (Chandraketugarh), Mithuna Plaque, 1st century B.C.–1st
century A.D., terra cotta, Gift of Subhash Kapoor, 2007.109
Indian (Chandraketugarh), Kubera Rattle, 1st century B.C.–1st
century A.D., terra cotta, Gift of Subhash Kapoor, 2007.110
Indian, Gupta Period, Durga Killing Buffalo Demon, 5th century,
terra cotta, Gift of Subhash Kapoor, 2007.111
Indian, Mauryan, Bird with Wheels, 1st century B.C.–1st century A.D.,
terra cotta, Gift of Subhash Kapoor, 2007.112
Indian (Chandraketugarh), Kubera Rattle, 1st century B.C.–1st
century A.D., terra cotta, Gift of Subhash Kapoor, 2007.115
Indian (Chandraketugarh), Fertility Goddess Sitting with Star, 1st
century B.C.–1st century A.D., terra cotta, Gift of Subhash Kapoor,
2007.116
Indian (Chandraketugarh), Square Plaque with Horse, 1st century
B.C.–1st century A.D., terra cotta, Gift of Subhash Kapoor, 2007.117
Indian (Chandraketugarh), Fertility Plaque, 1st century B.C.–1st
century A.D., terra cotta, Gift of Subhash Kapoor, 2007.118
Indian (Chandraketugarh), Man Riding Animal, 1st century B.C.–1st
century A.D., terra cotta, Gift of Subhash Kapoor, 2007.119
Indian (Chandraketugarh), Torso of a Woman, 1st century B.C.–1st
century A.D., terra cotta, Gift of Subhash Kapoor, 2007.120
Indian (Chandraketugarh), Monkey Figure, 1st century B.C.–1st
century A.D., terra cotta, Gift of Subhash Kapoor, 2007.121
Indian (Chandraketugarh), Mithuna Plaque, 1st century B.C.–1st
century A.D., terra cotta, Gift of Subhash Kapoor, 2007.122
Indian (Chandraketugarh), Mithuna Plaque, 1st century B.C.–1st
century A.D., terra cotta, Gift of Subhash Kapoor, 2007.123
Indian (Chandraketugarh), Plaque with Two Figures, 1st century
B.C.–1st century A.D., terra cotta, Gift of Subhash Kapoor, 2007.124
Indian (Chandraketugarh), Plaque with Figures, 1st century B.C.–1st
century A.D., terra cotta, Gift of Subhash Kapoor, 2007.125
Indian (Chandraketugarh), Mithuna Plaque, 1st century B.C.–1st
century A.D., terra cotta, Gift of Subhash Kapoor, 2007.126
Indian (Chandraketugarh), Rattle of Kubera, 1st century B.C.–1st
century A.D., terra cotta, Gift of Subhash Kapoor, 2007.127
Indian (Chandraketugarh), Plaque of Yakshi, 1st century B.C.–1st
century A.D., terra cotta, Gift of Subhash Kapoor, 2007.128
Indian (Chandraketugarh), Mithuna Plaque, 1st century B.C.–1st
century A.D., terra cotta, Gift of Subhash Kapoor, 2007.129
Indian (Chandraketugarh), Mithuna Plaque, 1st century B.C.–1st
century A.D., terra cotta, Gift of Subhash Kapoor, 2007.130
Indian (Chandraketugarh), Plaque of Standing Figure, 1st century
B.C.–1st century A.D., terra cotta, Gift of Subhash Kapoor, 2007.131
Indian (Chandraketugarh), Plaque of a Horse, 1st century B.C.-1st
century A.D., terra cotta, Gift of Subhash Kapoor, 2007.132
Indian (Chandraketugarh), Plaque of Two Figures, 1st century B.C.–1st
century A.D., terra cotta, Gift of Subhash Kapoor, 2007.133
Indian (Chandraketugarh), Mithuna Plaque, 1st century B.C.–1st
century A.D., terra cotta, Gift of Subhash Kapoor, 2007.134
Indian (Chandraketugarh), Mithuna Plaque, 1st century B.C.–1st
century A.D., terra cotta, Gift of Subhash Kapoor, 2007.135
Indian (Chandraketugarh), Circular Plaque Fertility Goddess, 1st
century B.C.–1st century A.D., terra cotta, Gift of Subhash Kapoor,
2007.136
Indian (Chandraketugarh), Figure on Crocodile, 1st century B.C.–1st
century A.D., terra cotta, Gift of Subhash Kapoor, 2007.137
Indian (Chandraketugarh), Mithuna Plaque, 1st century B.C.–1st
century A.D., terra cotta, Gift of Subhash Kapoor, 2007.138
Indian (Chandraketugarh), Fragment of Yakshi Head, 1st century
B.C.–1st century A.D., terra cotta, Gift of Subhash Kapoor, 2007.139
Indian (Chandraketugarh), Standing Yakshi, 1st century B.C.–1st
century A.D., terra cotta, Gift of Subhash Kapoor, 2007.140
Indian (Chandraketugarh), Fragment of Yakshi Plaque, 1st century
B.C.–1st century A.D., terra cotta, Gift of Subhash Kapoor, 2007.141
Indian (Chandraketugarh), Fragment of Yakshi and Bird, 1st century
B.C.–1st century A.D., terra cotta, Gift of Subhash Kapoor, 2007.142
Indian (Uttar Pradesh), Ram, 1st –2nd century A.D., terra cotta, Gift
of Subhash Kapoor, 2007.143
Indian (Chandraketugarh), Mithuna Plaque, 1st century B.C.–1st
century A.D., terra cotta, Gift of Subhash Kapoor, 2007.144
Indian (Chandraketugarh), Plaque of Water Buffalo and Tiger, 1st
century B.C.–1st century A.D., terra cotta, Gift of Subhash Kapoor,
2007.145
Indian (Chandraketugarh), Fertility Goddess Figure, 1st century
B.C.–1st century A.D., terra cotta, Gift of Subhash Kapoor, 2007.146
Indian (Uttar Pradesh), Gupta Period, Head, 5th century, terra cotta,
Gift of Subhash Kapoor, 2007.147
Indian (Uttar Pradesh), Gupta Period, Head, 6th century, terra cotta,
Gift of Subhash Kapoor, 2007.148
Indian (Uttar Pradesh), Gupta Period, Head, 7th century, terra cotta,
Gift of Subhash Kapoor, 2007.149
Indian (Uttar Pradesh), Gupta Period, Head, 8th century, terra cotta,
Gift of Subhash Kapoor, 2007.150
Indian (Western India), Female Head, Gupta period, 5th century,
terra cotta, Gift of Subhash Kapoor, 2007.158
Indian, Gupta Period, Head, 4th century, terra cotta, Gift of Subhash
Kapoor, 2007.159

seems he was also into Pakistani

Pakistani (Mehrgarh; Ancient India), Bull with Two Humps, 5000–
2000 B.C., terra cotta, Gift of Subhash Kapoor, 2007.151
Pakistani (Mehrgarh; Ancient India), Cow, 5000–2000 B.C., terra
cotta, Gift of Subhash Kapoor, 2007.152
Pakistani (Mehrgarh; Ancient India), Cow on Base, 5000–2000 B.C.,
terra cotta, Gift of Subhash Kapoor, 2007.153
Pakistani (Mehrgarh; Ancient India), Two Cows, 5000–2000 B.C.,
terra cotta, Gift of Subhash Kapoor, 2007.154
Pakistani, Cross Plaque, 5th–7th century, terra cotta, Gift of Subhash
Kapoor, 2007.155
Pakistani (Mehrgarh; Ancient India), Bowl, 4th–3rd century B.C.,
terra cotta, Gift of Subhash Kapoor, 2007.156
Pakistani (Mehrgarh; Ancient India), Female Doll, 5th–3rd century
B.C., terra cotta, Gift of Subhash Kapoor, 2007.160
Pakistani (Mehrgarh; Ancient India), Female Doll, 6th–3rdcentury
B.C., terra cotta, Gift of Subhash Kapoor, 2007.161
Pakistani (Mohenjo-daro; Ancient India), Weight, 3000–1000 B.C.,
terra cotta, Gift of Subhash Kapoor, 2007.162
Pakistani (Mehrgarh; Ancient India), Bull with Two Humps, 5000–
2000 B.C., terra cotta, Gift of Subhash Kapoor, 2007.151
Pakistani (Mehrgarh; Ancient India), Cow, 5000–2000 B.C., terra
cotta, Gift of Subhash Kapoor, 2007.152
Pakistani (Mehrgarh; Ancient India), Cow on Base, 5000–2000 B.C.,
terra cotta, Gift of Subhash Kapoor, 2007.153
Pakistani (Mehrgarh; Ancient India), Two Cows, 5000–2000 B.C.,
terra cotta, Gift of Subhash Kapoor, 2007.154
Pakistani, Cross Plaque, 5th–7th century, terra cotta, Gift of Subhash
Kapoor, 2007.155
Pakistani (Mehrgarh; Ancient India), Bowl, 4th–3rd century B.C.,
terra cotta, Gift of Subhash Kapoor, 2007.156
Pakistani (Mehrgarh; Ancient India), Female Doll, 5th–3rd century
B.C., terra cotta, Gift of Subhash Kapoor, 2007.160

Iranian

Iranian, Pitcher, 9th–10th century, terra cotta, Gift of Subhash
Kapoor, 2007.157

The Museum recognizes and thanks the
following organizations, businesses, and
individuals who made gifts during 2008
in support of art acquisitions, capital
projects, and special programs.
$100,000+ – Subhash Kapoor: gift of art

CUMULATIVE GIVING
The Toledo Museum of Art salutes the
following donors for their generosity and
continuing support during its second
century:
Key:
I. Founding Benefactors
II. $10 million and higher
III. $5 million to $9.999 million
IV. $1 million to $4.999 million
V. $500,000 to $999,999
VI. $250,000 to $499,999 – Mr. Subhash Kapoor
VII. $100,000 to $249,999