France/China

China threatens clampdown on Christie's after sale of St Laurent bronzes

Article published on the 2009-02-26 Latest update 2009-02-26 16:12 TU

Liu Yang, (R), Beijing's lawyer and alleged head of a Chinese association of lawyers working for the return of Chinese artefacts pose next to his French representative Renlin Shi at the Grand Palais
(Photo: AFP)

China says that it will impose tough checks on the Christie's auction house, after the sale of two Qing dynasty bronzes in Paris. The fountain-heads were sold on Wednesday for 15.7 million euros during the auction of the collection of the late fashion designer Yves St Laurent and his partner Pierre Bergé.

After failing in a legal attempt to stop the sale, Beijing's State Adminstration of Cultural Heritage (SACH) on Thursday accused Christie's of repeatedly selling pillaged or smuggled relics and said it would tighten controls on the company's activity in China.

The two disputed bronzes from the St Laurent collection
( Photo: AFP )

Dubbing the threatened move "reprisal measures", Christie's insisted that the sale of the bronzes, which depict a rat's head and a rabbit's head, was legal.

"In this instance, the legal ownership of the fountainheads was clearly confirmed, and we have directly and honestly engaged with SACH in discussing the YSL sale over the past months," a statement said.

In Hong Kong Kung Fu legend Jackie Chan waded into the debate, declaring the sale "shameful" and announcing that he is working on a film about the theft of cultural relics.

The bronzes were looted by British and French forces from Beijing's summer palace 150 years ago.

The sale of the enitre collection defied the ambient economic gloom and raised a record 373 million euros.

"I was right not to listen to anyone," Pierre Bergé told RFI. "I wanted to bring the art market to Paris and I think that I succeeded."