An Olmec stone figure (left) and a Mayan effigy up for auction at Sotheby's. SOTHEBY'S
The Mexican Ministry of Culture and the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) have taken legal and diplomatic actions against the auction of more than 20 pre-Hispanic pieces in New York.
Until May 18, Sotherby's house offers objects from the Olmec or Mayan cultures, among others, that Mexican specialists consider "archaeological monuments."
Thus, the Latin American country continues a struggle to recover the heritage that is exhibited in Europe and the United States that does not have a good recent record: in February, the Christie's house raised three million dollars in the auction of the pre-Hispanic pieces in Paris.
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The Mexican authorities have filed a complaint with the Attorney General's Office and "against whoever is responsible" for the sale of these pieces, some of which could be sold for up to $ 70,000, according to estimates by the auction house. Those interested will be able to bid online for these pre-Hispanic treasures from this Tuesday, May 11, until next day, 18 within the framework of the annual auction of art from Africa, Oceania and America, in which objects from Colombia, Madagascar or Fiji "newcomers to the market", as promoted by the British firm. Due to restrictions due to the covid-19 pandemic in the United States, those who wish to see the objects in New York before bidding must make an appointment. Both the Ministry of Culture and the INAH, however,they focus the effort on stopping "the illicit traffic of cultural property" and recovering "the Mexican heritage" abroad.
In the lot, there is, for example, a Mayan ax from the late classic (between 550 and 950 years) that has an estimated price between 50,000 and 70,000 dollars. As of this Friday morning, three people have already made their offers and the current value is $ 38,000. The object, an effigy that could represent a jaguar, a bat or a snake, was related to the ball game, but its use is not yet clear to experts, according to the auction house on its website. Regarding its provenance, Sotherby's only goes so far as to explain that the Albright-Knox Art Gallery in Buffalo acquired the piece in 1944 from its previous owners. At some point, in addition, a wooden base made by the Japanese artist Kichizô Inagaki was attached to it.
Also on offer is a greenstone figure of about 10 centimeters that was made by the Olmecs between 900 and 300 BC and acquired in 2008 by a private American collector about which Sotherby's does not give more information. This piece has a starting price of $ 25,000 and could reach $ 40,000, according to Sotherby's forecasts. So far, no one has proposed to buy it. Similarly, four other Olmec artifacts are for sale, four Mayan —in addition to the effigy—, one from Tlatilco, six from the current territory of Colima, three from Jalisco, two from Nayarit, one from Huasteca and one from Veracruz.
The Mexican authorities have explained that "because it is an open investigation folder" the institutions "are prevented from offering more information." You only have five days to stop the sale. Mexican legislation establishes that the finds of objects of ancient cultures in Mexican territory belong to the nation, but once they leave the country illegally, the authorities lose track of them. This newspaper has contacted the firm Sotherby's, but has not received a response.
Mexico undertook a crusade to recover the historical heritage found in private collections around the world.
The most recent antecedent is the auction of 33 pieces of pre-Hispanic art in Paris, which the Mexican government could not stop despite the claims and complaints presented.
That auction exceeded Christie's expectations by raising three million dollars (2.53 million euros, 61 million pesos).
Among the figures sold were three that the INAH considers false.
But not all cases have gone unsolved.
The Xoc bas-relief found in Paris in 2015, at an auction by the firm Binoche et Giquello, was returned to Mexico two years later.
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