Canvases and statues from St. Petersburg will be returned from Milan and Rome. Minister Franceschini: “The works must be returned to their owners”
The Russian attack on Ukraine and international sanctions also have consequences in the art world. Just as La Scala in Milan has given the well-served to the pro-Putin director Valery Gergiev, Russia now demands the return of all the works loaned to foreign institutions, Italy in the head which in these days had large exhibitions with works from from Moscow and St. Petersburg. The Hermitage museum in particular has asked for the cessation of the artistic loans granted for the exhibitions held in these days at the Royal Palace of Milan and at the Gallerie d’Italia. “When an owner requests the return of his works, they must be returned”, comments the Minister of Culture, Dario Franceschini. In the meantime, all activities relating to the “Cross year of Italy-Russia museums” initiative have been suspended “with immediate effect”. The Fendi Foundation in Rome is one of the institutions to which the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg has asked for a major return, the portrait Young woman by Picasso which until now had never been exhibited in Italy. The exhibition “Pablo Picasso Young Woman 1909” was achieving great success and was scheduled to run until May 15th.
The letter from the director of the Hermitage
“According to the decision of the Russian Ministry of Culture, all outstanding loans must be returned from abroad to Russia and the Hermitage is a state museum that depends on the Ministry of Culture.” Thus the director of the St. Petersburg museum Mikhail Piotrovsky wrote in the letter addressed to the director of Palazzo Reale in Milan Domenico Piraina and to the president of Skira publisher Massimo Vitta Zelman. Clear phrases, black on white, to explain the request to get back the works loaned for the exhibition on Titian. “We must resume – added Piotrovsky – the works of the Hermitage that are exhibited at the Royal Palace in the exhibition Titian and the image of the woman“. The request is to prepare the packaging and shipping. «Our transport agent – he added – will take care of all the necessary arrangements. I fully understand that this decision will cause you great sorrow and inconvenience and I hope for your understanding ». In particular, two oils on canvas will be returned from Palazzo Reale: Young woman with feathered hat (1534-1536) by Titian and Young woman with old man in profile (1515-1516) by Giovanni Cariani.
The request of Minister Franceschini
“Italy is the rotating president of the Council of Europe and in the next meeting on 1 April, which I will chair with all the ministers of culture, we will propose a collective initiative to support Ukrainian culture and artists”. This was said by the Minister of Culture, Dario Franceschini, speaking tonight at the Maxxi in Rome and, in connection, at the Milan Triennale. “It is important and significant that the art world is mobilizing – added Franceschini – from Maxxi, to the Venice Biennale, to the Milan Triennale for the support of the Ukrainian pavilion and its artists, up to the digital campaigns they see state museums are the protagonists. It is a moment that requires big choices, but also small gestures. These initiatives are really important both because the proceeds will go to associations that support refugees but also because I believe that the greatest contribution that can be made now to support that country is to make its artists, their music, their history known ” .
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