"Ice age" in the Milan gallery
ARTinvestment.RU   23 января 2017

About 50 paintings were under threat shedding from-за the sharp drop in temperature and humidity in the Milan Pinacoteca di Brera

"It was a disaster — has happened is that, as hoped, the Museum experts, will never happen", — commented on the situation in the Pinacoteca di Brera its Director James Bradburn (James Bradburne). The flow of dry and cold air from the Alps led to the fall of humidity in Milan up to 20% starting from January 7. Established in Munich in 2004, climate-контроля not cope with such a drastic drop in temperature and humidity. As a result, the wooden boards on which were written the masterpieces of the Renaissance, gave shrinkage, and two works from the exhibition began shedding of the paint layer. Among the two affected exhibits — "Christ at the column" (CA. 1490) Donato Bramante. Work was urgently sent for restoration.

about forty works written on the boards, was under threat. Among them, the "Montefeltro Altarpiece" painted by Piero della Francesca. To prevent cracking and shedding of the paint work was superimposed strips of rice paper. According to the Director, they can be removed when the Board is at a normal level of humidity will return to normal.

Occurred in the Pinacoteca di Brera has caused outrage in Italy. Director James Bradburn is one of about a dozen foreigners appointed to top positions in leading Italian museums to more effectively manage and increase their financial independence. Many this reform was met with hostility and the incident in Milan's Pinacoteca became the reason for criticism of the canadian Director. Italian experts wondered, could something like this happen, whether in the Director's chair insistence Museum specialist, not a Manager, until his appointment is only engaged in organization of exhibitions and marketing. "Today the Pinacoteca di Brera looks like after the bombing. Nearly 50 works (including some masterpieces) have experienced such a sharp drop in temperature and humidity that are at risk of losing a significant portion of the paint layer. No restoration is not able to reverse this damage, although, hopefully, they can minimize", — commented art historian Tommaso Montanari.

the Material was prepared by Maria Onuchina, AI

Sources: artnet.com, thetimes.co.uk, artinvestment.ru