No cultural exception: France withdraws the works loaned to the Kremlin Museum for the exhibition The Duel. From Trial by Combat to a Noble Crime, which was to be held from March 3 until June 16. The Russian museum, which, rather than announcing the cancellation, decided to postpone the opening of the exhibition, had proposed to the lenders to maintain their loans or to give them up.
The United Kingdom, Spain and Austria had then signified their withdrawal. France, which in this case is the largest contributing country, aligns itself with this decision, the day after the informal meeting of European ministers responsible for culture, communication and the media, on March 7 and 8 in Angers . “Our presence could have been exploited as a sign of a divergence between European countries. There was no question of dissociating oneself, confides the entourage of the Minister of Culture Roselyne Bachelot. According to Rue de Valois, exchanges with the Kremlin Museum remained cordial, “without any kind of overt hostility”.
The Kremlin Museum made its first loan requests at the start of 2020. Postponed following the Covid-19 pandemic, these were validated by France in June 2021. On February 20, therefore, around fifteen works from collections from three French museums have headed to Moscow. The Louvre sent six pieces, including a painting from Jean Clouet’s studio depicting François Iis, as well as a pair of pistols with the arms of France signed François Thomerot. The Kremlin had borrowed three paintings from Versailles, two of which were after Philippe de Champaigne, each representing Cardinal Richelieu and Cardinal Mazarin. As for the National Library of France, it sent seven Renaissance works on paper, including four drawings by François Quesnel.
Cooling of relations
These works will soon be removed from the walls of the Kremlin Museum to be placed in a safe place, probably at the French Embassy in Moscow. Their return is the subject of special consideration, because it is currently impossible to send French couriers to Moscow. Nevertheless, land transport remains possible, subject to a slightly modified route plan.
Axel Haddad, Grospiron carrier: “Works can enter or leave Russia because, if there are sanctions, there is no embargo”
Until now, convoys from Russia to France transited through Belarus, Poland and Germany. “It will probably be necessary to go through the Baltic States, which lengthens the path, and the addition probably of 20%”, evaluates Axel Haddad, director of the art branch of the carrier Grospiron. But, according to the specialist, “the works can enter or leave Russia because, if there are sanctions, there is no embargo”.
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