The Metropolitan Museum of Art has recently returned a 16th-century Buddhist painting to its rightful home at the Sinheungsa Temple in Sokcho, South Korea. The painting, titled “The Tenth King of Hell,” was believed to have been taken from the temple by the United States Army during the Korean War. The return of the painting was announced by the museum on November 18th.
The ink painting on silk scroll has been in The Met’s collection since 2007 when it was purchased by the institution. It was featured in the museum’s exhibitions on Korean art in 2008 and 2012. To commemorate its return, a ceremony was held in Seoul on November 14th, attended by Met Director Max Hollein, the mayor of Sokcho, and Chief Monk Ji-hye of the Sinheungsa Temple.
The circumstances surrounding the removal of the painting were not detailed by The Met, but local media reports suggest that it was taken 71 years ago, likely at the end of the Korean War or shortly thereafter. Photos of US troops at the temple and testimonies from residents supported the claim of the painting’s removal.
Chairman of the Sokcho City Cultural Heritage Repatriation Committee, Lee Sang-rae, shared that when Met officials were shown a photo of US soldiers using wooden printing blocks from the temple to make a fire for coffee, they were shocked and moved to tears.
The repatriation of the painting comes in the wake of The Met’s internal investigations into the provenance of objects in its collection, following media scrutiny and the seizure of looted items by the Manhattan District Attorney’s office in 2023. This return is part of a series of notable repatriations by The Met this year, including objects sent back to Iraq, Italy, and Spain.
The painting is part of a series depicting the Buddhist Ten Kings of Hell, who determine the fate of the deceased in the afterlife. The Tenth King is portrayed as a warrior surrounded by underworld attendants. The Los Angeles County Museum of Art had previously returned six scrolls from the same series to the Sinheungsa Temple.
In addition to the return of the Buddhist painting, The Met also returned “Vessel Stand with Ibex” to Iraq in September. The museum’s research project uncovered evidence that the ibex figure in the work is one of the oldest examples of the use of clay in the direct lost-wax casting technique.
Earlier in the year, The Met returned three ancient sculptures to Iraq and 14 ancient objects to Italy. The museum also returned two harness pendants to Spain. These returns are part of The Met’s ongoing efforts to ensure the ethical sourcing and ownership of objects in its collection.
