Borrowed passions
Russia's State Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg has, for the first time, allowed a piece in its collection to be displayed in Warsaw. Peter Paul Rubens' "Descent from the Cross" is on exhibit April 7-May 28 at the National Museum.
"Each time we (the museum) host such a masterpiece, it's a great event," said Kazimierz Stachurski, the exhibition's curator. "This doesn't happen very often, because it's a large financial effort."
The Flemish Rubens (1577-1640) is considered one of the most important artists of the 17th century; his style has come to define baroque art. The "Descent," painted in 1617-1618, is one of eight Rubens' works in the Hermitage collection, and appears in the National Museum as part of its exhibit on "The Passion Tradition in North European Painting and Graphic Art of the 16th and 17th centuries."
The only other masterpiece of equal caliber to have previously appeared in the museum was Carvaggio's "Deposition," borrowed from the Vatican's Pinacoteca four years ago.
According to Stachurski, money is not the only obstacle to organizing such an exhibit. The painting's arrival in Warsaw was preceded by complex negotiations between the two sides. The initial talks started one and a half years ago and ended with the Hermitage agreeing to lend the painting for two months. "We had to cover technical costs, such as transportation and insurance, as well as preservation costs," Stachurski said. Insurance is calculated according to the painting's value, he said. Although he wouldn't disclose exactly how much the masterpiece is appraised for, he said that its value is in a few million dollars, which means the insurance alone costs hundreds of thousands.
The transportation couldn't have been cheap. For preservation reasons, the Rubens had to be transported in special air-conditioned vehicles.
"Fortunately, we found sponsors who covered all the costs," Stachurski said. These sponsors were publishing house Reader's Digest and an insurer, Compensa.
Starchuski said that, in addition to the masterpiece, the museum also borrowed two sketches of the work. One of sketches on display is an ink drawing and the other, an oil painting. "The altar painting will be a greater treat for the audience," Stachurski said. "And for professionals the two studies."
The conservation team headed by Elzbieta Pilecka will be the museum's busiest employees during the painting's sojourn. They are the ones in charge of constantly monitoring Rubens' masterpiece.
"The painting demands maintaining the same conditions as those which exist in the Hermitage," Pilecka said. "Our responsibility is tremendous because the painting has to return to St. Petersburg untouched."
After the Rubens arrived in the museum, the conservationists had to check the painting's every detail and confirm that it matched the description issued by the Hermitage, Pilecka said. Humidity of around 45% and a temperature of 18-22 degrees Celsius must be maintained around the painting while it's on display. Pilecka added that setting the lighting is not an easy task, either.
"The source of the light has to be cold," Pilecka said, "because it cannot warm the
painting."
