MOSCOW, December 18. /TASS/. Moscow’s Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts has sent the Venus and Adonis masterpiece, by the Venetian Renaissance artist Titian, back to its owner.
The museum is not losing hope to acquire the painting, although the owner has reneged on the deal, the press service said.
"Yesterday we removed the painting from the exhibition and packed it. Today it was already sent to the owner," the museum said, noting that the new talks with the owner on selling the masterpiece were scheduled for December 25. "We hope that they will be successful and the masterpiece will become part of our museum’s collection and the country’s museum fund."
Earlier reports said that despite verbal agreement on the possible acquisition of the painting by the Pushkin Museum, the owner asked to return it.
Plagued by troubles, the historic painting was originally believed to be a copy of Titian’s composition. However, in autumn 2005, Viktoria Markova, Deputy Director for scientific work at the Pushkin Museum, a specialist in Italian art, found out that this was the original. Collector Vladimir Logvinenko, who owned the masterpiece, had asked her for an assessment. Later, research confirmed that this was the original and even the Prado Museum in Madrid admitted that the painting in its collection was a second version.
The painting was in need of restoration, and the Pushkin Museum, which worried that it might end up in less skilled hands, advised sending it to Venice and provided its assistance to find professionals in Titian’s technique. After two years of restoration, the composition was taken to Switzerland. Last year, the masterpiece was put on display at the Pushkin Museum’s exhibition dubbed: "Titian. Tintoretto. Veronese."
Later, Markova told TASS that the owner refused to contact with the museum despite previous agreements on selling the painting. She noted that the museum found a sponsor who was ready to help it acquire the composition. Last week the owner said he was ready to hold talks with the museum.