Rublev’s “Trinity” will not leave the Grabar Center until a special capsule is created

This condition is fixed in the agreement between the Tretyakov Gallery and the Trinity-Sergius Lavra

At the round table of the State Institute of Art Studies, dedicated to the situation around the icon of the “Holy Trinity” by Andrei Rublev, the head of the complex research department of the Tretyakov Gallery, Yulian Khalturin, said that during complex negotiations with the participation of the Ministry of Culture, the State Tretyakov Gallery, the Grabar Center and the Trinity-Sergius Lavra, an agreement was formulated on the conditions for the maintenance of the monument in the Trinity Cathedral.

One of the main ones is the creation of a special climatic capsule, which will meet all the necessary conditions to ensure the safety of the icon of the early 15th century. True, it is not yet clear who will do it, and the terms of reference for it are in the process of being discussed.

“The history of building contractual relations and determining the conditions for the maintenance of the Trinity is unprecedented. Our main priority was to ensure preservation priorities,” Khalturin said, adding that there are three agreements on the museum exhibit. The first – already expired – about the conditions of detention in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, the second – about the transfer to the free use of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra, and the third – about the stay of the “Trinity” in the Grabar Center.

Speaking about the stay of the XXC icon, he denied rumors that the restorers of the State Tretyakov Gallery did not have access to the museum exhibit. “In the morning and in the evening, for 20-30 minutes, the specialists photographed the readings of the two devices in the display case without opening it, and took the readings in the temple itself, right next to the display case. There were no problems with access, everything was friendly,” the speaker explained.

When asked about how strong the vibrations were in the window and next to it, he replied that they were minimal, although there were indeed fluctuations in the temple – depending on the weather, the number of people and other factors.

The agreement on the transfer of the “Trinity” to the Lavra contains the same conditions for ensuring the safety as in the agreement on the content in the XXC. This is the presence of temperature and humidity conditions, security, fire safety, alarm and other requirements, as well as the provision of control functions. Namely, the organization of on-site inspections of specialists at the Lavra (without opening the window). Once a year, a comprehensive check will be carried out, during which the icon will be removed from the capsule and examined in detail.

“For this, the Lavra must equip a special room, purchase special equipment in order to understand what processes are taking place with the monument. All measures are provided. Do the ROC partners understand the complexity of the situation? Yes. There is an understanding in the Lavra that the conditions in the Trinity Cathedral, to put it mildly, are far from ideal,” Khalturin said.

The main thing that was indicated in his report by the head of the department of complex research of the Tretyakov Gallery is that the contract provides for the creation of a special climatic capsule to replace the usual showcase in which the “Trinity” was located in the KhXS. Its creation will be financed by the Russian Orthodox Church (most likely, at the expense of sponsors). “We don’t know yet who will create it, the terms of reference are being specified,” Khalturin added. In addition, in case of violation of the conditions of detention, the contract can be terminated, the speaker specified.