'Art Conservators Are Alarmed': Vladimir Putin Under Fire From Art World After Demanding Famous Russian Painting Be Moved
May 17 2023, Published 3:30 p.m. ET
Vladimir Putin recently drew the ire of the Russian art world after demanding a famous painting be moved from its current location to a monastery in Moscow, RadarOnline.com has learned.
In a surprising development to come as more and more Russians grow disillusioned with the 70-year-old leader’s ongoing war against Ukraine, the Russian art world is now reportedly angry at Putin over Andrei Rublev’s famous 1425 painting The Holy Trinity.
According to Daily Star, the painting has resided in Moscow’s Tretyakov Gallery since 1929 – but Putin reportedly demanded the Rublev masterpiece be transported to the Trinity Lavra of St Sergius monastery approximately 70 miles outside of the Russian capital.
Russian art restorers have since protested Putin’s demands, and they claimed The Holy Trinity came back in “horrific condition” after it was loaned to the monastery for a period of three days last year.
“Last summer, Rublev’s masterpiece was exhibited at the Lavra for three days, while on loan from the Tretyakov Gallery,” one Russian art expert explained.
“After its brief 'visit' to the Lavra, the ikon came back in destabilized condition, with 61 'substantial changes' to its material makeup documented by the conservation staff, including five areas of critical damage,” the insider continued.
“Art conservators are alarmed by the decision to transfer the ikon to the Lavra permanently, at the moment, they believe, all of its layers are still in extremely fragile condition.”
Meanwhile, Putin has reportedly refused to provide a reason for his sudden demand to immediately transport The Holy Trinity from the Tretyakov Gallery to the Trinity Lavra of St Sergius monastery – with Russian art experts concerned for the painting’s future.
As RadarOnline.com previously reported, Putin recently came under fire again after a group of Russian protestors condemned the Russian leader and his bloody invasion of Ukraine.
Although the Kremlin attempted to edit footage of the protestors criticizing Putin, the shocking clip was ultimately uploaded online and showed evidence that the Russian people are growing increasingly disillusioned with the ongoing conflict.
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“Nobody f---ing needs us here,” one Russian said in March after Putin visited troops of Russian soldiers in Ukraine. “Everything is done for a picture on TV, so that people in Russia will watch.”
“And why take him there, he was only taken to places that were preserved and new buildings,” the protestor continued. “Nobody will show him the empty pits under the foundations of destroyed houses.”
