A painting attributed to Caravaggio has been transported from war-torn Ukraine to Lithuania under armed escort, in what museum officials described as both a cultural event and a gesture of solidarity.
The work, The Taking of Christ, arrived at the Lithuanian National Museum of Art, where it will undergo examination before going on public display.
Museum director Arūnas Gelūnas said the transfer represents more than an exhibition.
“This is truly more than just an art display. It is a form of protection for a valuable work and a significant symbolic and moral support for colleagues who continue their professional activities even under such conditions,” he said.
Gelūnas added that Lithuania was honoured to host the painting as it is moved to safety away from the war.
Before its arrival, the artwork had been exhibited at the Metropolitan’s House museum within the Kyiv Sophia National Reserve. The painting was stolen in 2008, later recovered and returned after lengthy legal proceedings and restoration.
The heavily damaged piece underwent three years of restoration by Ukrainian specialists.
Gelūnas said Lithuania had sought to exhibit the painting since 2019, but efforts were complicated by both legal issues and the outbreak of war following Russia’s invasion.
According to the museum, the painting was escorted by armed personnel throughout its journey until it reached the Pranas Gudynas Restoration Centre, part of the Lithuanian National Museum of Art.
Experts there will conduct technical analyses, including X-ray spectroscopic studies, to examine layers of overpainting and possibly determine the work’s authorship.
“Perhaps a signature or some message will emerge […] providing a clearer indication of whether Caravaggio himself touched the painting, or if it is a version by his followers,” Gelūnas said.
Believed to have been created around 1602, the painting depicts the arrest of Christ, with one lantern-bearing figure thought to be a self-portrait of the artist.
Roughly a dozen versions of The Taking of Christ are known to exist, and scholars have not reached consensus on which, if any, is the original.
Following its examination, the painting is scheduled to go on display in June at the Vilnius Picture Gallery.
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