Australian Arts Minister and Attorney-General George Brandis has said the government intends to prioritise resolution of the National Gallery of Australia's A$5 million (around $4.5 million) purchase of stolen Hindu antiquity from New York-based India-born art dealer Subhash Kapoor.
Brandis, in a senate estimates hearing, said that he had discussed the gallery's purchase of the Shiva idol with Foreign Minister Julie Bishop, The Australian reported Tuesday.
"We are going to deal with the Indian high commission with a view to pursuing the matter to a satisfactory outcome," Brandis was quoted as telling the senate.
The National Gallery of Australia also earlier this month launched legal action in New York against Kapoor in a bid to recover its costs.
The Australian government also asked the gallery to investigate whether the other 21 artworks bought from Kapoor for A$11 millions were stolen too.
"The dealer was a dealer with whom the gallery did deals from time to time, I am advised," Brandis said.
More From This Section
"The gallery is treating (its investigation) as an urgent matter," he added.
The purchases were made between 2002 and 2011.
Kapoor is due to stand trial next month in India.
He ran a gallery in New York for four decades and is facing arrest in the US.