Ancient Statue Is Seized From Manhattan Gallery
Federal agents seized an ancient Afghan statue from a Manhattan gallery Wednesday morning, part of a string of seizures that began Friday and have coincided with Asia Week festivities in New York.
The object, identified by authorities as an eighth-century marble sculpture of the Hindu deities Shiva and Parvati, seated on a tiger skin, was taken from a gallery on East 67th Street, where it was being displayed by Leonardo Vigorelli, owner of the Milan-based Dalton Somaré art gallery.
On Friday, investigators using a search warrant obtained by Manhattan prosecutors seized two sculptures from Christie’s. On Tuesday they seized another sculpture that was being shipped into New York for sale. The items were all to be displayed as part of Asia Week New York, a 10-day yearly event in which more than 40 galleries and several auction houses show and sell paintings, sculptures, bronzes, ceramics, jewelry, textiles, prints and photographs from throughout Asia.
Mashberg Tom, The New York Times, 16 March 2016
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