Press releases

VATICAN, 21 May (BelTA) - Belarusian experts in art conservation and restoration will undergo training in the Vatican museums, Director General of the National Art Museum of the Republic of Belarus Vladimir Prokoptsov told media, BelTA has learned.

“We agreed that next year we will send our specialists for training to the Vatican museums, which restoration workshops are fitted with the world’s unique equipment. For us it is very important in the context of the museum complex which is currently being built in Minsk,” he said.

When speaking about the exhibition “Icon Painting of Belarus of the 17th -21st Centuries” from the holdings of the National Art Museum of the Republic of Belarus, which opened in the Vatican Museum a few days ago, Vladimir Prokoptsov underscored its uniqueness. “In 2016 which was declared the Year of Culture in our country, to have an exposition in the Vatican Museum is a very responsible and prestigious thing to do. It took us 9 years to arrange this event. There were talks with our colleagues, and this was made possible thanks to the efforts of our Ministry of Foreign Affairs,” he noted.

According to him, the exposition showcases the evolution of iconography in Belarus which has absorbed different traditions of both East and West. Since the exhibition opened visitors has already filled more than 10 pages in the book of reviews.

Vladimir Prokoptsov informed that in the run-up to the third National Museum Forum in Belarus at the end of September there are plans to arrange a large-scale exhibition of Orthodox and Catholic icons (all in all about 100 works of iconography), and to publish an album. Director of the Museum of the Vatican will be invited to attend the event. “Our cooperation will be continued. Maybe in time we will organize an exhibition of works from the collections of the Vatican museums at the National Art Museum in Minsk,” Vladimir Prokoptsov shared the plans.

As was reported, the exposition of Belarusian icons in the Vatican City is dedicated to the Holy Year of Mercy which was declared by Pope Francis. The exhibition features 31 icons by Belarusian painters and 2 engraved icon frames. Belarusian icons are exhibited for the first time at an exhibition in the Museum of Vatican City, in close proximity to the famous Sistine Chapel with frescoes by Michelangelo. Thanks to this, specialists and numerous tourists from all over the world will be able to get acquainted with the unique works of Belarusian icon painting.