Germany exhibits paintings from Odessa to mark solidarity

Germany once again showed its solidarity with Ukraine, opening on Thursday an exhibition of paintings from a museum in Odessa which were sent to Berlin in September 2023 to escape Russian bombs. « We stand with you to defend your freedom and independence, to protect your cultural heritage and to help you on the path to a just peace and a future in the European Union »declared German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier at the inauguration of the exhibition.

The approximately 60 paintings by European painters, dating from the 15th to the 20th centuries, come from the collection of one of Ukraine’s largest museums, the Odessa Museum of Western and Oriental Art.

Shortly after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, on February 24, 2022, the director of the Odessa Museum ordered the building to be protected with sandbags, paintings to be taken down from the walls to put them in storage. . These works, which initially remained hidden in western Ukraine, were transported to Berlin in the fall of 2023 for restoration. « Most of the paintings have simple wooden frames and not decorative frames, proof that these are not classic loans between two museums. »remarked Frank-Walter Steinmeier in his speech.

From Francesco Granacci, Italian Renaissance painter and friend of Michelangelo, to impressionist artists like the Norwegian Frits Thaulow and naturalists like the Frenchman Jules Alexis Muenier: the entire history of European painting is represented, testimonies of the tastes of the bourgeoisie from the Black Sea port. The Odessa paintings are presented alongside 25 others from Berlin collections, which have similar subjects.

« I hope that the Ukrainians who have taken refuge with us will find in these paintings a piece of their homeland »launched Frank-Walter Steinmeier. They can visit the exhibition free of charge upon presentation of their identity card. « This exhibition shows how important it is that we support Ukrainians in defending their cultural homeland »continued Frank-Walter Steinmeier.

Irony of history: the last time the Odessa Museum sheltered its works was in 1941, when Nazi Germany attacked the Soviet Union and marched on the Black Sea city with its Romanian allies. The exhibition is on display at the Gemäldegalerie (Painting Gallery) located near the Philharmonie in central Berlin until June 22.