The Trafficker Who Furnished the Museums of LA is a revealing look at Earl Stendahl, a mid-20th-century Los Angeles gallerist who shamelessly plundered ancient Mesoamerican artifacts. His illicit trade fed the burgeoning interest in pre-colonial art among Hollywood elites and institutional collectors. One of his most notorious sales was the 'King Chak Mool' to the Minneapolis Institute of Art for $10,000 in 1947. This sculpture, which toured Europe and became a cornerstone of the museum’s collection, was later revealed to be a forgery. In the book Artifacts to Art: Collecting Ancient America in Midcentury L.A., researchers delve into the murky world of art deals and the shifting classifications of pre-Hispanic objects from anthropological studies to art collections.

The book, published by the Getty Research Institute, details the Stendahl Art Galleries' role in the illegal trafficking of these artifacts. Its archive, now housed at the institute, offers a deep dive into the shady dealings of a gallerist who seemed more interested in profit than cultural respect. Turner, Miller, and Villela present five years of groundbreaking research, tracing the forces that created a market for these objects, including Hollywood's fascination with pre-colonial art and the complicity of revered international museums.

As a curator, this story raises questions about the authenticity of objects in LA’s museums. Could some of the treasures we admire be nothing more than modern art frauds? The book provides insight into the complex interplay of greed, desire for cultural prestige, and the blurred line between legal and illegal trade that shaped mid-20th-century art collecting.

The story of Earl Stendahl and his Galleries serves as a stark reminder of the ethical responsibilities that come with collecting and displaying ancient artifacts. It challenges us to question the provenance and legitimacy of objects in our museums and to approach the complex and often contentious history of cultural heritage with greater scrutiny.