VIENNA, AUSTRIA.- Wolfgang Zinggl, the Green Party's spokesman for culture issues, stated that the purchase in 1998 of the sphinx by the Kunsthistorisches Museum could have lacked the approval by th egovernment. He promised a thorough investigation on the matter. The museum insisted the purchase was done appropriately and legally.

Zinggl said, "We don't have any control any more...Weird things are happening."

Zinggl received a draft of a state audit report about the deal and then began investigating it. The museum said the work was owned by a Spanish citizen, but was in Germany before the sale took place. Zinggl said he would investigate whether proper regulations on the sale of the piece had been followed under Spanish and German law.

The museum issued a statement that said, "The owner of the sculpture brought the artwork to Vienna in a small truck. The purchase of the sculpture took place in Austria."

Zinggl said, "Why would a piece of art worth $4.8 million be transported in a small truck? Why wouldn't you use a professional art transport, as is done usually in such cases?"