

The bronze sculptures, a rat's head and a rabbit's head, were looted by invading Anglo-French expedition army in the 19th century, when the invaders burned down the royal garden of Yuanmingyuan in Beijing.
Passion around the two bronze sculptures from the collection of Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Berger rage. Yesterday at a press conference in Beijing, Chinese collector Cai Minsk (Cai Mingchao) announced that it was he last week offered the highest price for the sculpture of a rat and rabbit at Christie's auction at the Grand Palais, but pay for them will not be . Cai Minsk, which is a non-governmental adviser to the Fund The National Treasure Funds of China, engaged in the repatriation of cultural property, said that «to act in the interests of all Chinese people», and added that thus fulfilled their civic duty. He also said: «A Chinese man in my place would have acted the same».
ballyhoo around these two sculptures that were stolen from the Imperial Summer Palace Yuanminyuan, looted in 1860 by English and French troops, has climbed even well before the auction works from the collection of Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Berger, on 25 February . My disagreement with the upcoming sale, and demand the return of those masterpieces of home express cultural organizations of China and Government , and team of lawyers led by Jan Liu (Liu Yang) tried to sue the owner of the collection and auctioneers .
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