The Acquisition of Cambodian Artifacts by John D. Rockefeller 3rd through the Guidance of Sherman E. Lee

The Acquisition of Cambodian Artifacts by John D. Rockefeller 3rd Through the Guidance of Sherman E Lee

by Ing Morokoth

This case study is part of research in U.S. archives by three CO-OP interns from October 2024 – March 2025. Find the other case studies on the project page.

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This case study explores the acquisition of Cambodian antiquities by philanthropist John D. Rockefeller III (JDR III, hereafter ‘Rockefeller’) during 1963-1978, with particular attention to his correspondence with Sherman E. Lee, director of the Cleveland Museum of Art who acted as private advisor to Rockefeller on collecting Asian art. It examines the dynamics of the international art market, the ethical implications of collecting during periods of political instability, and the role of private art historical consultation, backed by reputed institutional affiliation, in shaping problematic private collections.

The international art market of the mid-20th century witnessed a surge in Southeast Asian antiquities, particularly from Cambodia. This period coincided with political instability, looting, and the illicit export of cultural heritage. Rockefeller, a prominent philanthropist and founder of the Asia Society, assembled a significant collection of Asian art with guidance from Sherman E. Lee, director of the Cleveland Museum of Art. Their correspondence offers a rare lens into the mechanisms and ethics of high-level art acquisition through formal advisory agreements, dealer negotiations, and provenance challenges amid Cambodia’s political instability.

Historical Context: Cambodia and the Art Market

During the 1960s-1970s, Cambodia endured colonial withdrawal, civil war, and the rise of the Khmer Rouge. These upheavals facilitated widespread looting of archaeological sites and the trafficking of artifacts across borders, particularly through Thailand.¹ Thailand’s porous border with Cambodia made it the key route for trafficking antiquities, with more than fifty percent of Cambodian antiquities found in the international art market are thought to have been transported through Thailand.² The demand from Western collectors fueled this trade, and founded export to countries such as the US, Japan, and several European nations including Belgium, France, Switzerland and Japan.³

With the rise in looting, many Khmer artifacts were removed and ended up in the west. Global issues and their local manifestations – colonialism in Cambodia followed by 20^th-century regional wars and the Pol Pot regime brought massive destruction to Cambodia. The country became unstable which increased looting and the emergence of illegal export trade. Many cultural artifacts were seized by the Khmer Rouge from Angkor and other temple sites across Cambodia – the profits generated from the illicit trade of these antiquities were reportedly used to support and sustain the Pol Pot regime.⁴

Rockefeller and Lee: Collector and Advisor

 

JDR III is widely recognized as an influential art collector in the United States who played a pivotal role in philanthropy and cultural diplomacy. His role was pivotal as he transformed private collecting into a vehicle for international exchange: founding the Asia Society in 1956, supporting the Lincoln Center, and promoting Asian art as a bridge between cultures. After becoming interested in Asian Art, Rockefeller began collecting artifacts seriously in the 1950s.

During the 1960s, Rockefeller and his wife, Blanchette (née Hooker), became major collectors of Asian and American Art, forming the Rockefeller Collection of Asian Art, now housed at the Asia Society. Rockefeller’s decisions about artifact collections were informed by curators and scholars, most notably Sherman E. Lee. In a 1963 letter, Rockefeller established an annual retainer with Sherman E. Lee, as art advisor (Figure 1).⁵ This arrangement, renewed annually, lasted until 1978, the year of Rockefeller’s death and his Asian art collection was transferred to the Society.⁶ For fifteen years, Lee’s guidance shaped acquisitions, dealer relationships, and the overall vision of the collection.

According to a document in the Rockefeller Family Archives, by October 1973 there were 11 Khmer antiquities in the couple’s personal collection (Figure 2).⁷  The Rockefellers had interest only in exceptional pieces, those deemed of the highest aesthetic quality, with no duplicates circulating in the art market, ensuring the collection remained both distinguished and exclusive. In a 1972 letter to dealer Doris Wiener, Rockefeller vaunts a collecting philosophy rooted in selectivity, trust, and cultural value (Figure 3).⁸ Motivated by a desire to acquire only a few high-quality Cambodian artifacts, he relied on expert guidance and relationships with dealers.

 

^{(Above Left) Figure.2: A 1973 archival letter records the number of Cambodian sculptures in Rockefeller’s collection. Source: Rockefeller Archive Center, October 24 1973, Series 3, Box 75, Folder 516. (Above Right) Figure.3: A letter written by Rockefeller to Doris Wiener in 1972 provides insight into his acquisition strategies. Source: Rockefeller Archive Center, November 1 1972, Series 3, 1973, Box 75, Folder 515.}

 

Dealers reached out to the Rockefellers, sharing photographs and catalogues, and extending invitations to view exhibitions or gallery collections. Auction houses and dealers like Sotheby’s, Spink & Son, Doris Wiener, Ben Heller, and M. Moreau-Gobard presented select antiquities to Mr. and Mrs. Rockefeller for consideration and potential acquisition. These dealers, in their interactions with the Rockefellers, engaged in both collaborative efforts and competitive strategies to secure their interest in supplying antiquities. This constant outreach demonstrates Rockefeller’s central position in the antiquities market, where his reputation for select collecting would ultimately impact the market in illicit trade.

In 1976, dealer Ben Heller offered a ‘Pre-Khmer’ head to Rockefeller for $350,000.⁹ Lee suggested offering $250,000, citing comparative quality and market competition.¹⁰ Heller eventually accepted, and the piece was acquired in 1977 by Rockefeller (Figures 4-6).¹¹ This negotiation illustrates the complex interplay between collector, museum-based private advisor and dealer, each jockeying for their own interests. It also reflects Rockefeller’s cautious approach to collecting amid a volatile market shaped by Southeast Asian regional instability, Cambodia’s civil war and genocide, temple looting, and the sudden influx of Khmer antiquities with uncertain provenance and inflated prices.

Correspondence between Rockefeller and Sherman E. Lee intensified whenever acquisitions were under consideration, especially as Rockefeller began planning the transfer of his collection to the Asia Society. These exchanges weren’t just about selecting objects; they reflected Rockefeller’s growing concern with long-term stewardship, institutional responsibility, and financial sustainability. In a 1978 letter foreseeing his posthumous legacy, Rockefeller asked Lee for guidance on maintenance costs and storage needs, emphasizing Lee’s role not only as a connoisseur but as a trusted advisor in shaping the collection’s future. Their dialogue deepened as the collection shifted from personal to institutional (Figure 7).¹² While the tragic current events driving the market from Cambodia were not evoked, the ‘tragic in-roads of inflation’ in the US are, as the collector contemplates future costs.

 

^{(Above Left) Figure.5: Archival correspondence illustrates Rockefeller’s reliance on Sherman E. Lee’s consultation when responding to Ben Heller’s proposal for a ‘Pre-Khmer’ head. Source: Rockefeller Archive Center, October 27, 1976, Folder 518, Series 3, 1976-1978, Box 75. (Above Right) Figure.6: Evidence from a 1977 letter confirms Rockefeller’s purchase of the ‘Pre-Khmer’ head. Source: Rockefeller Archive Center, March 28 1977, Folder 518, Series 3, 1976-1978, Box 75.}

 

^{Figure.7: A 1978 correspondence between Rockefeller and Sherman E. Lee records their discussion of transferring his collection to the Asia Society. Source: Rockefeller Archive Center, June 7 1978, Folder 519, Series 3, 1974-1978, Box 75.}

Conclusion

The case of Rockefeller’s acquisition of Cambodian antiquities facilitated by Sherman E. Lee offers a lens into the entangled networks of collectors, dealers, art historians/curators and institutions that shaped the mid-20th century international market for Khmer art. Through archival correspondence and acquisition records, we observe how Rockefeller’s collecting practices were guided by art historical expertise, personal gain and institutional ambition. Yet these practices unfolded as a direct result of tragedy in Cambodia. They also contributed to that tragedy.

This case underscores the ethical tensions inherent in collecting during periods of conflict and postcolonial transition. Sherman E. Lee shaped Rockefeller’s reputation by serving as arbiter of quality and conduit to dealers whose practices often blurred the lines of legality. These roles explain how Rockefeller came to be seen as a discerning collector, even as his legacy was bound up with contested trade networks.

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Notes

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Primary Sources

 

• • Rockefeller Archive Center, letter from Rockefeller to Sherman E. Lee, dated 8 April 1963.

• • Rockefeller Archive Center, letter from Rockefeller to Doris Wiener, dated 1 November 1972.

• • Rockefeller Archive Center, Archival confidential letter, dated 24 October 1973.

• • Rockefeller Archive Center, letter from Ben Heller to Rockefeller, dated September 16 1976.

• • Rockefeller Archive Center, letter from Rockefeller to Ben Heller, dated 27 October 1976.

• • Rockefeller Archive Center, letter from Rockefeller to Ben Heller, dated 28 March 1977.

• • Rockefeller Archive Center, letter from Rockefeller to Sherman E. Lee, dated 7 June 1978.

References

Asia Society. The Advisor: Sherman E. Lee and Mr. and Mrs. John D. Rockefeller III. Accessed December 3, 2025. https://sites.asiasociety.org/asianjourneys/advisor/

Lafont, Masha. Pillaging Cambodia: The Illicit Traffic in Khmer Art. Jefferson: McFarland, 2004.

Tythacott, Louise, and Panggah Ardiyansyah. “Introduction: Collecting and Returning Southeast Asia’s Past,” in Returning Southeast Asia’s Past: Objects, Museums, and Restitution, ed. Louise Tythacott and Panggah Ardiyansyah (Singapore: NUS Press, Southeast Asian Art Academic Programme, SOAS University of London, 2021)

Nagashima, Masayuki. The Lost Heritage: The reality of Artefact Smuggling in Southeast Asia. Bangkok: Post Books, 2002.

Tasdelen, Alper. “Cambodia’s struggle to protect its movable cultural property and Thailand.” In Cultural Property and Contested Ownership: The Trafficking of Artefacts and the Quest for Restitution, edited by Brigitta Hauser-Schäublin and Lyndel Prott, 45–63. London and New York: Routledge, 2016.

Tythacott, Louise, and Kostas Arvanitis, eds. Museums and Restitution: New Practices, New Approaches. Farnham: Ashgate, 2014.

Wang, Yiyou. Art Dealers, the Rockefellers and the Network of Chinese Art in America (unpublished manuscript, Department of Interdisciplinary Arts, Ohio University, 2008)