Paul Brummell's 'Diplomatic Gifts' Explores Art, Pandas and Political Presents Through History

Paul Brummell's new book 'Diplomatic Gifts: A History in Fifty Presents' examines the complex role of gift-giving in international relations, drawing from his experience as British ambassador to Latvia. The publication traces diplomatic exchanges from ancient Egyptian ivory statues in the fourteenth century BCE to modern examples like the Statue of Liberty gifted from France to America in 1884. Brummell analyzes how presents function as expressions of friendship, power plays, or potential bribes, referencing anthropological studies including 1920s research on the Trobriand Islands' reciprocal gift system. Artworks and antiques frequently serve as diplomatic offerings, though their interpretation carries risks—demonstrated by David Cameron's 2014 gift of a Ben Eine painting to Barack Obama, who reciprocated with an Ed Ruscha work. Animals often generate greater publicity, exemplified by China's 'panda diplomacy' that saw 20,000 Japanese visitors queue to see pandas Kang Kang and Lan Lan after their 1972 presentation ceremony featuring an orangutan named Miyo. Practical challenges emerge with living gifts, as when a baby camel intended for François Hollande in 2013 was mistakenly cooked by its temporary caretakers in Timbuktu. The term 'white elephant' originates from burdensome animal gifts given by Southeast Asian monarchs. Published by Hurst at £25 in hardcover, the book offers insights into diplomatic strategy through material exchanges across civilizations.