Poland shelters artworks from Ukraine amid war
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- 26 May 2023
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Ukraine has handed over 38 valuable artworks to Poland as a measure to protect them during the ongoing war. Polish Minister of Culture, Piotr Gliński, expressed gratitude to Kyiv for its "gesture of trust" by sending these pieces to the Royal Castle in Warsaw, where they will be exhibited.
During the unveiling ceremony held yesterday, Minister Gliński remarked, "Poland welcomed Ukrainian refugees, and now it welcomes Ukrainian works of art." The collection, originating from the Khanenko Museum, which houses Ukraine's most extensive art collection, comprises paintings by renowned European Renaissance and Baroque artists like Jacopo del Sellaio, Peter Paul Rubens, Guercino, and Jacob Jordaens.
Among the notable artworks are a portrait of Polish King Stanisław II August painted in 1797 by Élisabeth Louise Vigée Le Brun and a painting by Bernardo Bellotto, an Italian artist closely associated with Warsaw. Bellotto's work was recently showcased in an exhibition at the Royal Castle.
The decision to relocate these artworks arose when the Khanenko Museum in Kyiv suffered damage from Russian artillery last year. Minister Gliński highlighted the extensive destruction faced by Ukraine's cultural institutions during the war, with approximately one-third of them being completely destroyed.
"This time, we have welcomed new refugees from Ukraine, except they are works of art," stated Wojciech Fałkowski, the director of the Royal Castle in Warsaw. He emphasized that these artworks represent the finest examples of European art and serve as a testament to the shared European civilization between eastern and western European countries.
Fałkowski also mentioned that aside from providing safekeeping, the items from Kyiv will undergo conservation work in Warsaw before being exhibited next year.
This marks the third occasion that Ukraine has entrusted art to Poland for safekeeping during the war. Previously, paintings by Jacek Malczewski and sculptures by Johann Georg Pinsel were relocated from Lviv to the National Museum in Poznań and Wawel Castle in Kraków, respectively.
Gliński noted, "Putin claimed that Ukrainian identity and culture do not exist and has consequently sought to destroy Ukrainian cultural institutions. However, it is thanks to the strength of the Ukrainian identity and culture that Russia is losing this war."
The culture minister continued by stating that showcasing these artworks signifies the level of Polish-Ukrainian relations and the trust between the two nations. He added, "We have not experienced such positive relations in a long time. Putin miscalculated. His intention was to destroy, but he inadvertently created something good and beautiful, as evidenced by the opportunity for both Polish and non-Polish audiences to admire these magnificent artworks at the Royal Castle in Warsaw."
The Royal Castle is among several Polish museums participating in an initiative established in March 2022 to support Ukrainian cultural institutions during the war. The Komitet Pomocy Muzeom Ukrainy (Committee for Ukrainian Museums) assists in protecting, concealing, documenting, and digitizing their collections.
