A short video from the New York Times, 9/7/14: “On Sunday, Picasso’s “Le Tricorne” was removed from the Seagram Building, where it had been on display for 55 years. Moving a canvas that age and size required extreme delicacy.”
Professor M. Och
ARTH 114 and ARTH 115: Introduction to Western Art, University of Mary Washington
It seem alike a lot of work to move an art piece and an old art piece at that. Since the art piece is so old , it is a treasure that cant be ruined. By moving the art piece , the piece becomes subject to damage or becoming broken. The job of moving an art piece that size looks like very stressful, long and tedious work. I for one would not be able to do it 🙂
Moving art looks very strenuous. If they measure something wrong or pull on the painting too hard it can ruin such a great piece of history. I was quite impressed by how well those workers performed.
There is a lot of pressure placed on the workers to delicately maneuver this painting, and the fact that it is an over life-sized painting, makes the job even more tedious. Careful measurements, a gentle pull in the right direction, multitudes of workers… the way they handled their job was well done. I wonder how much more work it is to move a large sculpture to another location.
After watching this video, I actually understand the amount of work it takes to move a piece of artwork. I guess when you think about it, you don’t think of all the little things that have to take place to move it successfully without damaging it. The artwork is extremely fragile so you have to take small, intricate steps to insure nothing happens during the wrapping, moving and unwrapping of the artwork. I for one would never do this because of the tremendous pressure you have to do it perfectly! These people are incredible!
Before I saw this video, I never really put much thought into what it takes to move pieces of artwork. I have to give these people a lot of credit because it takes great skill to be able to move a piece of artwork and have no damage done to it. Obviously, you have to be good at working under pressure to be successful at a job like this one. Watching this video has helped me to understand the importance of the history of these objects and that they must be treasured.
It seems somewhat bizarre to endanger the painting so gravely just to make room for new stuff, if the painting is so valuable and delicate to preserve, it seems like whatever ‘new art’ the owner wants to create could be placed elsewhere. Moving such delicate art on no more than a whim and for no historic or scholarly purpose just seems a bit wreckless. It is true that it is going to a proper museum where I imagine it will get further protection, but still, to want a piece of history out like that just does not sit well.
It has always seemed risky to me to move art. The potential for damage seems not worth the risk. Art is usually priceless and completely irreplaceable. However after the video I can now appreciate the amount of work it does into moving a piece. I have great respect for those who posses the skills necessary to move such important objects.
Moving art pieces of that size sounds like it would be difficult, but in addition the age and fame of that art piece makes the job even harder because you don’t want to be the person that ripped the biggest Picasso painting in America. Those workers moved together incredibly well and the amount of effort it seems to have taken to get it down safely was impressive.
This video broadened my eyes to the work capacity involved in moving a large and valuable piece of art. Unlike moving a television or a bed, the smallest error can undo and destroy something which is beyond repair and replacement. The amount of labor and calculation involved in the process of moving a piece of art is far and above what I would have imagined.
It is interesting what is known and unknown about a piece of art. So much is about the subject and original purpose of this painting is known. It is strange to me they had no knowledge of how it was actually staying on the wall for 55 years. Was this information never recorded? Was it recorded then lost? To me, It seems like this would have been of great importance to know to make sure it was not in danger of falling. I am glad they where able to figure it out and that the process went smoothly.