In Madrid, Goya masterpiece «Colossus» removed from the exhibition. Experts believe his forgery
ARTinvestment.RU   18 апреля 2008

The famous painting «Colossus» Spanish artist Francisco Goya Enlightenment removed from the exhibit. Experts are inclined to think that this is fake

famous painting «Colossus» Spanish artist Francisco Goya Enlightenment removed from the exhibit. Experts are inclined to think that this is bogus. News has already provoked a major scandal.

The exhibition, which opens April 15 in Madrid Prado Museum, dedicated to the 200-year anniversary of the uprising in Madrid, the Spaniards put the war against the French occupation 1808-1814. The exhibition includes 200 paintings, drawings and prints, combined the theme of war, the Spaniards against the French invaders, writes the newspaper The Independent . Many of these works are in private collections and never before exhibited.

However, the picture «Colossus», held in the museum the last 80 years, to the surprise of many, has been excluded from the exhibition catalog. The whole blame of museum experts doubt that the recent all feel more confident canvas forgery, explains Prado director Miguel Zugaza.

Head of the museum promised in the coming months to publish the results of recent art history research, according to which the picture should be considered a forgery. Sensational information will appear in the Journal of Museum and, respectively, in the first place will be available to the expert community.

Cloth is written in dark colors and is considered one of the masterpieces of the master, painting the horrors of war, witnessed by the artist himself was. In the picture above the mountainous landscape of towering male nude. Fist colossus compressed, and eyes closed. Below, on the plains, the artist has depicted people fleeing in panic.

Cloth by French poet Charles Baudelaire called the «terrible truth», written in 1808 or slightly later. It was then that the army of Napoleon Bonaparte invaded the Iberian Peninsula and the horrors of war hit the Spaniards, who have not taken French placeman on his royal throne.

Some doubts have been specialists in the past, but if now искусствоведам actually be able to prove a fraudulent masterpiece, break the news to make the effect of a bomb, writes the edition.

The first doubts about the authenticity of two paintings by Goya soon emerged from the expert Juliet Wilson-Barr, which was among the organizers of this exhibition. Art critic has questioned the authorship of paintings by Goya «Colossus» and «milkmaid of Bordeaux».

These doubts are based on technology smear artist, Wilson-Barr made in April 2001. And with respect to «Colossus» Expert doubts already divided, and other specialists, including the chief expert on Goya paintings in the Prado Museum Manuel Mena.

But director Fernando check then rejected those concerns as unfounded. A year later, the professor of the history of painting Nigel Glendinning, University of London, published a study that protect the authenticity of the painting. This public debate has been suspended.

How it turned out, in secret, it did not stop until the present time, when the skeptics won a significant victory.

However, Professor Glendinning feels unfair administration of the museum's decision without giving a reason to remove a picture from public display. «If the museum does not like this picture, they should tell us why», - adds the art.

According to Glendinning, the picture can be presented separately and share with the public their doubts, but to deprive the people of the opportunity to see the famous picture - it is disrespectful.

Professor gave a lecture, which insisted on the authenticity of the painting. In his view, the composition of the painting, where everything is moving from center to periphery, is typical for the master of the brush. This holds especially Glendinning clear analogy with the canvas «Uprising 2 May, 1808 Square Puerta del Sol». Professor sees «Colossus» the same internal dynamics and chaos, which are typical for other artist's works.

In addition, the story «Colossus» echoes the patriotic poetry of Juan Bautista Arriazy, which were published anonymously in 1808 and have been on the lips of many Spaniards. According to the expert, the work influenced the poet's design.

Poor quality of the canvas, which is used by the artist, the professor explains liholetem War, when it was difficult to get good material, and the fact that the picture has participated in exhibitions.

In any case, Glendinning encouraged his opponents to rely on facts, not on unfounded assumptions.

Others manifest discontent about how is the debate itself. In their view, would have to be to inform the expert community, to hold an open debate and inform the date of publication of new findings of specialists. A «podkovernymi» oskandalitsya debate can only lead to mistrust and to painting in general.

add that in the absence of «Colossus» masterpiece of the exhibition is the painting «Uprising 2 May, 1808 Square Puerta del Sol», depicting the rebellion against the French invaders the inhabitants of Madrid. Cloth severely damaged and it was torn in several places during the evacuation failed to Barcelona (province of Valencia) in 1938, when during the Civil War, the capital is under attack troops of General Franco, rising fascist rebellion.

Only after several months of hard work restorers managed to restore the picture, based on sketches and copies of masterpieces. Cloth was written in 1814.

Source: http://www.newsru.com