Send Religious Works Back to Churches says Uffizi Director
June 3 2020
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
The Arts Newspaper has published a story relating to a claim made by Eike Schmidt, Director of the Uffizi in Florence, that many religious works of art currently in Italy’s museums and stores should be returned to the churches from which they came. He further went onto to suggest that Duccio's Rucellai Madonna (pictured on the right) should go back to its original home, the Florentine Church of Santa Maria Novella.
The reasons given by Schmitt suggest that the return of such works would help audiences better understand the importance of their spiritual contexts, as well as give back meaning to the buildings they were removed from.
This argument is by no means a new one, but it is one fraught with all sorts of thorny issues. The article makes it clear, however, that such ideas are provoking but 'unrealistic' for now.
Cardinal Giuseppe Betori, archbishop of Florence, is quoted:
"the proposal deserves to be noted and commended” but “every case would have to be considered on its own merits".
