The Museum of Fine Arts (MFA) Boston has returned two looted artefacts—a bronze relief plaque and a terracotta and iron head—to the Oba of Benin during a ceremony at Nigeria House in New York City. The works, stolen by British forces during the 1897 punitive expedition against the Kingdom of Benin, were traced to the collection of Augustus Pitt-Rivers and later acquired by investment titan Robert Owen Lehman, who donated them to the MFA in 2013 and 2018. The pieces will be handed over to Nigeria's National Commission for Museums and Monuments and ultimately to His Royal Majesty Omo N’Oba Ewuare II.
This restitution marks a significant step in the global movement to return looted Benin artefacts, which has gained momentum over the past decade. The MFA's decision follows similar actions by the Netherlands, the Stanley Museum of Art at the University of Iowa, and the Smithsonian Institution, reflecting growing institutional accountability for colonial-era acquisitions. The MFA retains three Benin artefacts with inconclusive provenance, and ongoing research underscores the complexity of repatriation efforts in the art world.