Denver Art Museum Returns 11 Artefacts Linked to Smuggler Douglas Latchford
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The Denver Art Museum (DAM) is repatriating 11 Southeast Asian antiquities from its collection linked to Douglas Latchford and Emma C. Bunker. The objects will be returned to Vietnam, Thailand, and Cambodia, as announced by a statement from Lori Iliff, a senior provenance researcher at DAM.
Bunker, a key figure in Latchford’s trafficking scheme, donated the objects to the museum, with five passing through Latchford’s hands. Following the Denver Post’s investigation in 2022, Bunker’s name was removed from the gallery wall, and $185,000 donated by her family was returned. DAM acknowledged Bunker’s role in persuading the museum to acquire looted artworks.
The Denver Post revealed that Bunker used the museum as a “way station” for looted artifacts provided by Latchford. She introduced Latchford to DAM and urged him to sell and donate historically significant statues from the Khmer empire. Bunker’s name appeared in various cases connected to Latchford’s dealings.
The items identified for restitution include iron palanquin hooks, a bronze Buddha sculpture, and a figurine of Prajnaparamita. Records show Latchford kept five relics in Bangkok before Bunker loaned or donated them to DAM between 2004 and 2016. Five objects were featured in Bunker and Latchford’s book “Adoration and Glory: The Golden Age of Khmer Art.”
Pressure from law enforcement and the press led DAM to return additional items, including artifacts connected to the Wiener sisters and objects linked to Subhash Kapoor. The museum also canceled a planned exhibition of Greek artifacts due to insufficient provenance information.
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Elara Voss, graduated from the Royal College of Art in London with a Master’s in Fine Art. She specializes in contemporary sculpture and installation art, exploring themes of nature and human interaction. Elara’s works have been featured in several group exhibitions across Europe, and she is currently working on her first solo show.