British Museum Loans Historic Tapestry

The Vrindavani Vastra is a monumental silk tapestry, originally measuring an estimated 120 by 60 cubits, that vividly portrays the early life of the Hindu deity Krishna in Vrindavan. Created in the 16th century under the guidance of the Vaishnavite saint and scholar Srimanta Sankardeva, the weaving process was a significant undertaking that took approximately six months to complete. This intricate textile was crafted by Assamese weavers using a sophisticated lampas weaving technique. The designs were woven with a variety of colored threads, including red, white, black, yellow, and green, to create the detailed narrative scenes. The version in the British Museum, acquired in 1904, is over nine meters long and is composed of several silk drapes stitched together. The tapestry's journey to Britain is believed to have taken it from Assam to Tibet, where it was later acquired by a correspondent for "The Times" of London and subsequently donated to the museum. A letter of intent has been signed to facilitate the Vastra's temporary return to Assam for an 18-month public exhibition in 2027. The 74 artifacts returned to Cambodia are from the collection of the late British art dealer Douglas Latchford, who was indicted in 2019 by U.S. federal prosecutors on charges of wire fraud and smuggling related to looted Cambodian antiquities. Latchford died in 2020 before he could be extradited. These repatriated items date from the pre-Angkorian period through the height of the Angkor Empire (9th to 15th centuries) and include significant sandstone sculptures and bronze works. The return is part of a 2020 agreement between Cambodia's Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts and Latchford's family. The looting of these artifacts is largely associated with the periods of civil war and the brutal rule of the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia, from the 1970s through the 1980s. Organized networks would remove pieces from temples and other structures, often causing damage, and smuggle them to dealers like Latchford. This is the third repatriation of artifacts from the Latchford family collection to Cambodia. Previous returns and seizures from other collectors and institutions, including the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art, are part of a broader, ongoing effort to return thousands of trafficked relics to Cambodia.