Italian museums to return loaned artworks to Russia
Two Milan museums will return several works of art on loan from Russia after requests for their return, the Italian galleries said on Thursday. This is a further sign of deepening tensions caused by the Ukraine invasion.
The Hermitage Museum, in St. Petersburg, wrote to Milan's Palazzo Reale asking for the return of two artworks - including 'Young woman with a feathered hat' by the Venetian painter Titian. They were loaned to Milan for the 'Titian and the image of women in 16th century Venice' exhibition'. They will likely be collected at the end of March. Titian's work is important but the exhibition can go ahead without it.
The exhibition began on Feb. 23th and will run until June 5th.
Gallerie d'Italia said it received a request for the return of 23 works out of nearly 200 works borrowed from Russia in the current exhibition 'Grand Tour. Dream of Italy from Venice to Pompeii.'
The Fendi Foundation in Rome and another museum in Udine have received similar requests. It seems that nothing is immune to the effects of war.