The Twelve Old Summer Palace bronze heads are a collection of bronze fountainheads in the shape of the Chinese zodiac animals that were part of a water clock fountain in front of the Haiyantang () building of the Xiyang Lou (Western style mansions) area of the Old Summer Palace in Beijing. Believed to have been designed by the Jesuit Giuseppe Castiglione with fountains engineered by Jesuit Michel Benoist for the Qianlong Emperor, the statues would spout out water from their mouths to tell the time.CSmonitor.com. "CSmonitor.com." China protests Christie's auction in Paris of relics. Retrieved on 2009-02-20.BBC News: Chinese zodiac statues' origins
The bronze-cast heads of the stone statues were among the treasures looted during the destruction of the Old Summer Palace by British and French expeditionary forces in 1860 during the Second Opium War.Wtop.com. "Wtop.com." French judges allows auction of Chinese artifacts. Retrieved on 2009-02-20. Since then, they have been among the most visible examples of attempts to repatriate Chinese art and cultural artifacts. Two of the heads, the rat and the rabbit, were formerly held by French fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent and were the subject of an international scandal (2009 auction of Old Summer Palace bronze heads).
The Poly Museum (New Beijing Poly Plaza), a museum in Beijing owned and operated by China Poly Group Corporation, a state-owned Chinese business group enterprise, is filled with repatriated artworks, including several of the animal fountainheads. China Poly bought the tiger, monkey, and ox through auction houses in Hong Kong in 2000, while the pig's head was recovered in New York by Hong Kong casino magnate Stanley Ho, who in turn donated it to the Poly Museum.
The CEO of Poly Culture (an offshoot of China Poly Group focused on art-repatriation and antiquities), Jiang Yingchun, has been quoted as saying: "The heads represent our feelings for the entire nation; we love them and we weep for them. We can try many ways to get the heads back. The auction is just one method. We can't ignore that the art was taken illegally,” even if it was being well cared for, he said. “If you kidnapped my children and then treated them well, the crime is still not forgiven."
Current status Photo Animal Year recovered Current location CostNotes Rat 2013 National Museum of China $18 million at hammer price Yves Saint Laurent's collection. Christie's, 2009. Donated by François Pinault (Christie's owner) in a ceremony on 28 June 2013 Ox 2000 Poly Art Museum, Beijing US$0.98 millionSotheby's London, June 1989. By Christie's Hong Kong, 2000. Peter Hays Gries, Stanley Rosen. State and Society in 21st Century China: Crisis, Contention and Legitimation From China Poly Group Corp. Tiger 2000 Poly Art Museum, Beijing US$1.98 millionSotheby's London, June 1989. By Sotheby's Hong Kong, 2000. From China Poly Group Corp. (4th from left) Rabbit 2013 National Museum of China $18 million at hammer price Yves Saint Laurent's collection. Christie's, 2009 Donated by François Pinault in a ceremony on 28 June 2013 Dragon 2018 unknown - Possibly sold on 17 December 2018, at auction house Tessier & Sarrou et Associés for $3.4 million to a Chinese national but not verified as authentic Snake - unknown - - Horse 2007 Old Summer Palace US$8.84 million Sotheby's London, June 1989, US$400,000. Stanley Ho bought it in a Sotheby's Hong Kong auction in 2007. It was displayed for a while at the Grand Lisboa in Macau. Stanley Ho donated it to the National Cultural Heritage Administration in 2019. After a stint in the Capital Museum, the NCHA moved the horse head back to the Old Summer Palace. Goat - unknown - - Monkey 2000 Poly Art Museum, Beijing US$1.03 millionNew York, 1987. By Christie's Hong Kong, 2000 From China Poly Group Corp.(3rd from right) Rooster - unknown - - Dog - unknown - In 2003, a Hong Kong auction house planned to sell a fake. Pig 2003 Poly Art Museum, Beijing US$0.77 million New York, 1987. From Stanley Ho
In culture Ai Weiwei in 2010 created his own interpretation of 12 heads called "Circle of Animals/Zodiac Heads", where 5 were recreated.Telegraph. The meaning of Ai Weiwei's 12 Zodiac Heads It exists in bronze and gold versions. Sold for $4.4 million.Ai Weiwei’s Zodiac Heads Hit $4.4 Million at $26.9 Million Phillips London Contemporary Art Evening Sale // ArtNet
CZ12 (2012) - Jackie Chan's movie about treasure hunting. Portrait of a Thief (2022), novel by Grace D. Li
See also 2009 auction of Old Summer Palace bronze heads State Administration of Cultural Heritage
References
External links
International Herald Tribute, Auction Houses Add Insult to Injury, May 6, 2000 Press Release: Bronze animals heads from Summer Palace go on display, Hong Kong, Heritage Museum Friday, January 9, 2004 Macao casino mogul Stanley Ho buys stolen Chinese relic for US$8.9 million 21 September, 2007 BBC report of February 2009 auction {rat & rabbit} BBC report/photographs of 4 of 5 bronze heads recovered prior to 2009 auction {OX, Tiger. Monkey, Pig} report/photograph of the Haiyantang Horse head statute