On tour with Bernini

Even as a teenager, Gian Lorenzo Bernini spent his free time working with a hammer, chisel and block of marble. Over 300 years after his death, this prodigy of the Baroque movement is still highly praised by art aficionados from every corner of the world. Gosselin Mobility is currently taking part of Bernini’s oeuvre on a unique journey to a few of these very corners. 

Anyone who has ever been to Rome has surely seen Bernini’s work. As a sculptor-architect, he ‘carved out’ this life for himself for nearly 60 years. Fountains of Trevi? Bernini. St. Peter’s Square? Bernini. Fountain of the Four Rivers? Bernini. His signature may be found on over 30 famous sculptures and structures in the Italian capital.

All roads lead away from Rome

Located just outside of the city, Palazzo Chigi in Ariccia houses a lesser-known part of his work. Bernini couldn’t just bring stone to life, he also painted regularly. Together with creations from some of his contemporaries, selections of this work recently departed for Sofia where the travelling exposition was on display from mid-May to mid-July. “Next stop, Tbilisi,” says Roberta Tanzi, who is leading the art moving project for Gosselin and who travelled across Europe to guarantee perfect handling of the art works. “In a few months, the collection will probably be continuing on to Armenia. This is where our footprint comes in really handy, as Gosselin has offices in all these countries!”

In Caravaggio’s footsteps

The exposition comprises nearly 60 works of art, all of which are hundreds of years old. “Fortunately, we have a lot of experience transporting art collections and exclusive furniture,” Roberta says. “We move art collections and the contents of embassies on a regular basis. Early this year, we also coordinated a travelling exposition of Caravaggio reproductions through Central Asia.”

Lots of seals, stamps and paperwork

“Aside from a series of stringent precautionary measures - tracking equipment, two drivers in the climate-controlled moving truck - there is so much paperwork involved in an undertaking like this,” Roberta continues. “After all, this is highly valued national heritage. You have to take complex procedures into account, particularly when the goods are leaving the European Union. Thanks in part to the efforts of our colleagues at our offices in Central Asia, we always manage to clear these hurdles quickly. I especially want to thank my colleagues George Zlatarev (Bulgaria), Zoran Bilandzija (Croatia) and Maia Pertaia (Georgia) for their enthusiasm and professional approach to make this project a success!”

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Visit the exposition Bernini and the Roman Baroque, Masterpieces from Palazzo Chigi in Ariccia in Tblisi, Georgia.

Update

The Bernini art exhibition keeps on travelling the world. This time, Gosselin Georgia, Armenia and Italy handled the move from Tbilisi (Georgia) to Yerevan (Armenia).

"There were some challenges with the move", says Roberta Tanzi from Gosselin Mobility Italy. “For example, there were last-minute changes in planning because of an unforeseen public holiday due to the presidential election. We swiftly had to re-schedule with 1 day in advance. There also needed to be great coordination for the armed escort.”

The 55-piece exhibition will be opened in the National Gallery of Armenia in Yerevan. Never before have this many Italian artworks been brought to Armenia. The exhibition will be open for 2 months. The Armenian president Armen Sarkissian already has visited the exhibition a day before the official opening.