The Metropolitan Museum of Art has formally repatriated a rare 3rd-century 'Fasting Buddha' to the National Museum of Afghanistan. The schist sculpture, a masterpiece of Gandharan art, was identified by provenance researchers as having been illicitly removed from an archaeological site during the periods of conflict in the late 20th century.
The return ceremony, held in New York, underscores a renewed commitment by major Western institutions to address looted antiquities in their collections. The sculpture is praised for its exquisite detail, depicting the historical Buddha in a state of extreme asceticism, and it is expected to serve as a centerpiece for the newly renovated classical galleries in Kabul.