Bordeaux Refuses a Bequest of African Art to Favor the Return of Works to Their Countries of Origin

The city of Bordeaux is set to make a rare decision in the French museum landscape by officially refusing a bequest of 53 African artifacts on June 1, 2026, in order to facilitate their return to countries of origin. The collection, left by Marie-Thérèse Petit, a midwife who lived in Togo, Gabon, and Niger, includes 64 cultural items and a lot of Tuareg jewelry, with the largest group of 33 pieces from Gabon's Tsogo region. Following consultations with several African states and the French Ministry of Culture, Gabon, Nigeria, and Côte d'Ivoire have expressed interest in repatriation, while Niger, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Burkina Faso, and Togo have two years to decide.

This decision matters because it represents a pioneering, ethical approach to cultural heritage restitution in France, moving beyond the legal framework of accepting donations to actively prioritize the return of African artifacts. Coming shortly after France's April 2025 law on restitution of colonial-era looted works, Bordeaux's move signals a significant shift in museum policy and international cooperation, potentially setting a precedent for other French cities and institutions grappling with similar legacies of colonial collections.