In a new BNNVARA program, presenter Erik Dijkstra investigates the origin of works of art that ended up in Western countries under dubious circumstances. In every episode of Looted art focuses on an art object that is currently in a European museum.
In the first episode, Dijkstra travels to Indonesia and delves into the story behind Banjarmasin’s diamond. Dutch troops took the valuable stone with them as war booty in 1859, after they had conquered the city by force. The diamond is now part of the permanent collection of the Rijksmuseum.
In Indonesia, Dijkstra speaks with possible heirs of the original owners. He also asks why the Netherlands does not return the diamond. “Looted art is not only about returning art, it is also about the spasmodic way in which we deal with our colonial past. That makes this series more urgent than ever,” says Dijkstra.
Another object in the series is the feather crown of the Aztec leader Moctezuma from Mexico, which is currently on display in Vienna. A life-size iron statue of the god Gou from Benin is also featured in the programme. That object is now on display in the Louvre in Paris.
Looted art can be seen every Friday at 22:20 on NPO2 from 26 May.
2023-05-08 11:44:45
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