PARIS  Two bronze heads originally looted from China were sold Wednesday night for a total of nearly $35.9 million without commissions, after fierce but futile protests from China and a failed legal challenge to the auction.

The bronze heads were bought by anonymous bidders over the telephone, but the winning bids on both pieces were taken by the same Christie’s employee, Thomas Seydoux, suggesting that the buyer might be the same person. But Mr. Seydoux said later that he did not know who the buyers were.

In 2007, a similar bronze head of a horse was offered by Sotheby’s and bought privately by a businessman from Macao, Stanley Ho, for $8.9 million. Mr. Ho then gave the head to the Chinese government.

In Beijing, the State Administration of Cultural Heritage denounced the sale Thursday, saying in a statement: “This has hurt the cultural rights and interests of the Chinese people and the national sentiment and will have a serious effect on Christie’s development in China.” The statement, quoted by The Associated Press, did not elaborate.