Following a devastating blaze that engulfed Copenhagen’s Old Stock Exchange earlier this week, art conservators are now evaluating the condition of centuries-old paintings salvaged from the inferno, as reported by the National Museum of Denmark on Thursday.
As flames tore through the 400-year-old landmark on Tuesday, bystanders sprang into action to assist firefighters, conservators, and soldiers in retrieving valuable artworks.
“It had to be fast,” remarked Nina Wajman, a curator at the National Museum of Denmark, emphasizing the urgency of the rescue efforts.
Conservators swiftly retrieved paintings from the unaffected portion of the building, while firefighters and soldiers, donning smoke helmets, ran into the blaze to recover artworks from the engulfed section, hastily loading them onto trucks.
“They might not have done it in the way an art expert would, but that’s minor, I think,” Wajman noted.
Among the treasures saved was an oil portrait of Christian IV, Denmark’s 17th-century monarch, who commissioned the construction of the building for commodity trading.
Some paintings suffered severe damage from water, fire, or due to the hurried removal from the walls.
Conservators are currently conducting thorough assessments of the rescued paintings at a depot of the National Museum, aiming to ascertain the extent of the damage and identify any missing pieces.
Jakob Vedsted Andersen, head of the fire department in Greater Copenhagen, explained the challenges faced during the rescue operation. “We had great focus on the valuables inside the building. But the problem was that I needed all my firefighters to contain the fire as long as we could,” he recounted.
“So we had to ask people for help to bring out the paintings and the sculptures,” he said.
Employees from the nearby Danish Chamber of Commerce, including the CEO, joined forces to transport sizable paintings, some measuring up to 3 meters wide, to a safe location within the nearby Christiansborg palace.
Local resident Klavs Lockwood recounted his involvement, stating, “These paintings were very big and heavy, so I quickly offered my help.” Lockwood described one painting he assisted with as bearing visible signs of being hastily removed from the wall.
As efforts to assess the damage and restore the rescued artworks continue, the community’s swift response and collaborative efforts have played a pivotal role in preserving Denmark’s cultural heritage in the face of adversity.
“It had to be fast,” remarked Nina Wajman, a curator at the National Museum of Denmark, emphasizing the urgency of the rescue efforts.
Conservators swiftly retrieved paintings from the unaffected portion of the building, while firefighters and soldiers, donning smoke helmets, ran into the blaze to recover artworks from the engulfed section, hastily loading them onto trucks.
“They might not have done it in the way an art expert would, but that’s minor, I think,” Wajman noted.
Among the treasures saved was an oil portrait of Christian IV, Denmark’s 17th-century monarch, who commissioned the construction of the building for commodity trading.
Some paintings suffered severe damage from water, fire, or due to the hurried removal from the walls.
Conservators are currently conducting thorough assessments of the rescued paintings at a depot of the National Museum, aiming to ascertain the extent of the damage and identify any missing pieces.
Jakob Vedsted Andersen, head of the fire department in Greater Copenhagen, explained the challenges faced during the rescue operation. “We had great focus on the valuables inside the building. But the problem was that I needed all my firefighters to contain the fire as long as we could,” he recounted.
“So we had to ask people for help to bring out the paintings and the sculptures,” he said.
Employees from the nearby Danish Chamber of Commerce, including the CEO, joined forces to transport sizable paintings, some measuring up to 3 meters wide, to a safe location within the nearby Christiansborg palace.
Local resident Klavs Lockwood recounted his involvement, stating, “These paintings were very big and heavy, so I quickly offered my help.” Lockwood described one painting he assisted with as bearing visible signs of being hastily removed from the wall.
As efforts to assess the damage and restore the rescued artworks continue, the community’s swift response and collaborative efforts have played a pivotal role in preserving Denmark’s cultural heritage in the face of adversity.
Source: TVP World, Reuteres
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