The Compensations of Plunder: How China Lost Its Treasures by Justin M. Jacobs (review)

(Malang, East Java) is regarded by many experts—and museum visitors—to be the finest of all East Javanese statues. It was returned to Indonesia in 1978, but four other related statues were kept by the Netherlands. This statue has now taken on a new role in cultural cooperation and has since been loaned by Indonesia to various international exhibitions. The case of the painting depicting The Arrest of Prince Diponegore is of a different order. It did not involve restitution because its legal ownership was never disputed: the painting was created in the Netherlands and presented by the artist, Prince Raden Saleh, to King Willem III of the Netherlands in 1850. Since Indonesia’s independence from the Netherlands in 1949, Prince Diponegore has been recognized as a national hero. Because of this newly formulated historic importance, the restitution of all objects related to him have been requested by the Indonesian government. Due to its emotional value, the Dutch royal family transferred the painting to the Indonesian nation as a gift in 1977 or 1978. This example is used to underscore the fact that factors beyond legal issues may play an important role in restitution. The essays in this book bring to light information never before published regarding the processes, practices, and politics of acquiring, displaying, and returning Southeast Asian art. It takes us into museum galleries and storage facilities and we hear from curators and museum directors about their opinions and attitudes towards returning prized artifacts. The book details negotiations and discussions with diplomats, politicians, and museum professionals in various countries of origin against a background of their cultural and political histories and addresses the recent role of social media. As such, the book, illustrated with a selection of relevant objects, is a very readable and interesting overview of important issues along with specific cases of cultural appropriation in relation to a particular region of the world. However, the involvement of private collections, art dealers, and auction houses in restitution issues is barely touched upon. The complex story of repatriation and restitution remains a work in progress in a world of shifting power structures.