The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston displayed Benin Bronzes publicly in 2013 while recognizing their looted history. The collection, owned by Robert Owen Lehman Jr., was intended for eventual donation, yet ownership disputes arose when the new oba of Benin sought claims. Despite ongoing negotiations, the museum has declared nearly all items will be returned to Lehman, as satisfactory resolutions could not be achieved. The museum continues to emphasize its commitment to ethical stewardship regarding cultural artifacts from the Benin Kingdom and aims to clarify the status of several other objects in its collection.
The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, initially displayed Benin Bronzes in 2013, acknowledging their looted origins but faced challenges in ownership discussions with the Nigerian oba.
Despite aims for ethical stewardship, the museum's recent announcement reveals it could not reach a mutually agreeable resolution on the ownership of the Benin Bronzes.
Collection
[
|
...
]