Hermitage Reverses Course: Loans to Italian Museums Extended

The State Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg initially demanded the immediate return of artworks loaned to Italian institutions, including Palazzo Reale and Gallerie d'Italia in Milan and the Fondazione Fendi in Rome, following Russia's inclusion of Italy on its list of unfriendly countries. Director Mikhail Piotrovsky sent letters requesting repatriation by end of March, threatening exhibitions such as "Tiziano e l'immagine della donna nel Cinquecento veneziano" at Palazzo Reale (open since February 23) and "Grand Tour" at Gallerie d'Italia. However, on March 14, Piotrovsky announced an agreement with the Russian Ministry of Culture to allow the loans to remain for several more weeks, with works from the "Grand Tour" show to be returned immediately after its official closing. The Picasso painting at Fondazione Fendi and Titian's works at Palazzo Reale will stay on display. The reversal aims to preserve cultural bridges amid geopolitical tensions, with Piotrovsky stating, "We must clearly agree on when and especially how the works will return to the Hermitage." The situation remains uncertain for other Italian museums with Russian loans, such as Palazzo Rovella in Rovigo, which has a Kandinsky exhibition with works from the Russian Museum in St. Petersburg.