ABC
Naval Museum technicians save the Columbus painting attacked by the eco-terrorists from Futuro Vegetal
The Hispanidad Day at Madrid's Naval Museum was marked by a dramatic incident as two activists from Futuro Vegetal attacked one of the museum's best-known works, 'El primer homenaje a Colón' by José Garnelo. The response underscored the value of teamwork, bringing in museum staff as well as military and scientific personnel. As soon as the gravity of the attack was confirmed, the holiday became a show of force as the Armed Forces joined the effort. Restoration specialists from outside the museum also arrived to help. Today, no one ate there; the crew worked from minute one until the job was finished, with no one leaving their posts so that everyone could work. The attack targeted a six by three meter oil painting created in 1892, which has hung in the Naval Museum since 1981. The stain used a hyper-saturated pigment that activists called biodegradable, which could be removed. The Naval team, led by technical director Berta Gasca, along with military personnel led by Captain of the Navy Juan Escrigas, began the cleaning. A battle against the ecoterrorists' ignorance, those who believe a cause justifies barbarism. The activists want to end livestock subsidies and redirect funds to socially and ecologically responsible alternatives. How could that be achieved by risking artwork? Fortunately the best specialists got to work and by about 9 p.m. the cleaning was finished and the painting saved. More than six hours of intensive teamwork. The painting was unhooked in the same room where the attack occurred, and options for removing the pigment were discussed. It is a biodegradable, hyper-saturated pigment that was removed with patience and water. The painting, fully recovered, after the technicians' work. But the job isn't finished. After saving the painting and cleaning the pigment layer, a deep study will examine microscopic effects and varnish deterioration to determine reversibility or whether deeper restoration is needed. It would be naive to celebrate barbarism against Goya's works or the Sagrada Família. The museum should not bear the costs alone; activists should be responsible for the consequences. Heritage belongs to everyone. Experts know that an irreparable disaster could happen, and such acts raise questions about whether a cause should override civility and respect for culture. Could this barbarity end an industry by attacking paintings? What happens when these acts no longer have the desired effect? Where is the line? The painting's history includes its 1892 Madrid International Exhibition for the IV Centenary of the Discovery, and its 1893 Chicago World's Fair prize. The canvas was deposited in the Naval Museum in 1981 and later donated by Juan Alvargonzález González, joining the collection in 1996.
