Italy pledges to lend 2,000 ancient artifacts to Brazil’s devastated National Museum

Fire at the National Museum of Brazil
Fire at the National Museum of Brazil, Rio de Janeiro Image: Felipe Milanez (Wikimedia) CC BY-SA 4.0

Italy has pledged to assist in the rebuilding effort of Brazil’s National Museum. Last September, a massive fire destroyed the museum’s 200-year-old building and around 90 percent of its collection.

According to the plan, 2,000 ancient artifacts from the National Archaeological Museum of Naples, and the site of Herculaneum nearby, will be sent to Rio de Janeiro on a 20-year loan. The first works are due to arrive in 2020. They will be exhibited at the Italian Cultural Institute and the Italian consulate in Rio until the national museum is rebuilt. As a part of the plan, Italian experts will also travel to Rio de Janeiro to provide assistance in the restoration of the salvaged artifacts from the ruins.

“A tragedy like the one that struck the museum could be transformed into an opportunity to raise public awareness about the preservation of these collections,” as said by Elisabetta Canna, a world leader in restoration and a member of the Italian expert team that was sent to Brazil in June.

Read the full article at artnet News.

This article was originally published in English. Texts in other languages are AI-translated. To change language: go to the main menu above.

Doneren