In a significant announcement made during a recent visit to Cairo, Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof confirmed that the Netherlands would be returning a precious ancient sculpture to Egypt. This decision follows a thorough investigation that concluded the artifact had been illicitly acquired and transported to the European nation.
The artifact in question, a striking stone head dating back approximately 3,500 years, first surfaced at an exclusive art fair and exhibition held in Maastricht in 2022, according to a statement from the Dutch Information and Heritage Inspectorate.
Authorities in the Netherlands have confirmed that the piece was stolen from Egypt sometime during the turbulent period of the Arab Spring in either 2011 or 2012.
The Dutch government has committed to formally returning the artifact to the Egyptian ambassador to the Netherlands before the year’s end.
“Following an anonymous tip about the object’s illegal origin, the dealer voluntarily relinquished the sculpture,” the news release said.
This particular sculpture depicts a high-ranking official from the era of Pharaoh Thutmose III (circa 1479-1425 B.C.), a ruler known for his military prowess that firmly established Egypt as a dominant regional power, according to experts at the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization in Cairo.
Christopher A. Marinello, a lawyer specializing in the recovery of stolen art, emphasized that the value of artifacts pilfered during the Arab Spring is truly immeasurable.
Both Egyptian and U.S. officials have reported widespread, sophisticated, and systematic looting at significant Egyptian archaeological sites throughout the revolution. Yet, amidst this chaos, there were also heartwarming instances of local residents forming human chains to safeguard precious artifacts within museums during the most intense periods of the Arab Spring.
Frequently, stolen cultural treasures resurface years later in art markets across the United States or Europe. Mr. Marinello, founder and CEO of Art Recovery International, noted that it was fortunate this particular sculpture appeared at TEFAF Maastricht (the European Fine Art Foundation), an organization renowned for its rigorous ethical standards and strict code of conduct.
The very fact that such an artifact surfaced at a high-profile art fair—a place where leading museums often acquire additions for their collections—underscores its immense historical and artistic importance.
As Marinello put it, “Things don’t show up at Maastricht unless they are museum quality.”
Marinello explained that dealers participating in the Maastricht fair are generally highly reputable and cooperative, as they are keen to avoid the reputational damage associated with being linked to stolen cultural property.
He contrasted this with ongoing cases in Germany involving Nazi-looted art, where despite presenting dealers with irrefutable evidence that pieces were plundered by figures like Hermann Goering, founder and commander of the Luftwaffe, some dealers continue to resist relinquishing the works.
Will Korner, TEFAF’s head of fairs, confirmed that the foundation collaborates extensively each year with Dutch and international law enforcement agencies, exhibitors, the Art Loss Register, and its various vetting committees.
In a statement, Korner explained, “All these worked to ensure every object and provenance of antiquities was reviewed, and as such, this was removed from sale in 2022.” He also mentioned that the sculpture had been displayed at the 2020 fair, but at that time, no concerns regarding its origin had been raised with the police.
Prime Minister Schoof’s two-day visit to Egypt coincided with the grand opening of the new Grand Egyptian Museum. During his trip, he met with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, joined by leaders from Belgium and Luxembourg.
The opening ceremony of the Grand Egyptian Museum was nothing short of a spectacular nighttime extravaganza. Dozens of dancers, adorned in magnificent white and gold Pharaonic costumes, performed meticulously choreographed routines both outside the museum and at the iconic base of the nearby pyramids and the Great Sphinx of Giza.
The ancient site was bathed in vibrant colored lights, with laser beams piercing the sky towards vast drone displays that continuously transformed, even creating an awe-inspiring image of King Tutankhamen’s famous gold funerary mask.
The excitement surrounding the museum’s opening has captivated the entire nation. Public squares throughout Egypt were equipped with large screens broadcasting the Saturday ceremony to enthusiastic crowds. Egyptian celebrities further fueled the buzz by sharing AI-generated images of themselves dressed as ancient pharaohs, sparking a viral social media trend that saw countless ordinary citizens creating and posting their own similar images.
Erika Solomon contributed reporting from Cairo.