Форум по искусству и инвестициям в искусство - Ukrainian expert: "Odessa Caravaggio"

19.01.2012|Culture
Ukrainian expert: "Odessa Caravaggio" - a fake

The National Research Centre for the restoration came to the conclusion that the painting "The Kiss of Judas, or the taking of Christ into custody," which was stored in Odessa - a fake.

This was stated by Deputy Director of the agency Tatiana Bychko. Her story the newspaper "Today": "We consulted with experts, went to the Hermitage. There is every reason to believe that this picture of the Italian artist Giovanni wrote di Attila - 10 years after the death of Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio. Customers as the original and the copies were brothers and Chiarakko Adsrubale Mattei. The painting, stolen from the Odessa Museum, had already restored - in 1954 at the Hermitage. There very definitely say that this is not by Caravaggio. The manner of writing is markedly different from the manner of Caravaggio. Even outwardly Odessa copy of "The Kiss of Judas" looks rougher original, located in Dublin (Ireland). In addition, already traced the history of the product before it fell to Russia. "

Meanwhile, Director of the Museum of Western and Eastern Art Vladimir Ostrovsky still of the opinion that the stolen painting - an author's copy, made by Caravaggio. "On the restoration of" taking Christ into custody "have not started - yet the picture is in the status of physical evidence in the case of theft. And according to the law on the canvas can not be done any action. But I have hope that the picture be restored by September 2012. After all, we received a very serious proposal from the largest museum in central Russia - Pushkin State Research Institute - to put the canvas in the exhibition of works by Caravaggio. "

However, T. Bychko stressed that to restore the product in a short time is impossible: "We need to stick together all the threads of the canvas - the thieves savagely cut out a picture of the subframe. Need to connect the remnants of fabric and eliminate cracks in it. "

Note that the "Odessa" the picture and before long was considered a copy. However, in 1950 the Moscow art critic Kseniya Malitskaya has proof of identity. And in 2005, confirmed the withdrawal of Soviet specialist Spanish experts.

The canvas was stolen from the Museum of Western and Oriental Art on the night of August 1, 2008. At this time there was a security guard, and the windows no lattices. Alarm system, installed in the museum in 1996 (consisting of acoustic sensors, including a siren only when damaged window panes), did not work.

The product was found in the summer of 2010 in Berlin (Germany). As a result of an international raid suspects - three Ukrainians and Russians - were arrested while trying to sell the "Judas Kiss." Results of this case were taken into custody 20 people. They are seen as being involved in an international gang of kidnappers pictures.

In August 2010, the government of Germany transferred canvas Ukraine. German experts made the preservation and primary fabric. Restoration of the same work, the victim at the hands of criminals, charged with specialists of the National Research Restoration Center.

In October, from Berlin to Kiev were taken under escort three accused of stealing. Earlier, they asked for asylum in Germany. Group participants also suspected in the robbery at the house of wealthy people of Kiev, at the business center of the National Sports Committee and persons with disabilities in a number of other crimes. Property damage caused by group, estimated at 3 million 624 thousand UAH. Including the cost of fabric - 900 ths.

Former Interior Minister Anatoly Mogilev called the detention of members of the gang loudest special operation office in 2010.

A criminal case goes to trial. According to the prosecutor's office in Kiev, the maximum penalty, which threatens the accused - up to 12 years imprisonment and confiscation of property.

TIA "Vikna-Odessa"