The icon «Holy Trinity» by Andrei Rublev received 61 «significant changes» as a result of being transferred to worship at the Trinity-Sergius Lavra in July. This is stated in the minutes of the meeting of the restoration council of the Tretyakov Gallery, which was posted by art historian Ksenia Korobeynikova.
According to the examination, the consequences of the changes «are serious and may threaten the existence of an ancient and fragile monument.» The restoration council believes that “an experiment was set up” on the icon. In the Trinity Cathedral of the Lavra, where the monument was exhibited, there were no necessary climatic conditions. Therefore, the icon survived sharp temperature changes and now five of its sections «are emergency and need to be strengthened.»
Andrey Rublev's «Trinity» was taken from the Tretyakov Gallery to the Trinity-Sergius Lavra. The icon was provided for worship, despite the protests of the restorers
It was decided to leave the «Trinity» in the depository of the gallery until its condition stabilizes. The icon was excluded from the exposition of the Central Museum of Russian Art «for an indefinite period.»
Experts note that the identified changes are only “part of the process of negative changes in the state of conservation that has begun.” The Restoration Council of the Tretyakov Gallery intends to raise the issue of adopting at the legislative level a decision to ban the external issuance of “unique monuments that are part of the State Museum Fund”, and plans to hold a press conference on the preservation of the “Holy Trinity”.
On the evening of July 16, the Tretyakov Gallery temporarily handed over to the Russian Orthodox Church Andrei Rublev's icon of the Holy Trinity, a 15th-century monument was brought to the Trinity Cathedral of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra in Sergiev Posad. Celebrations were held there dedicated to the 600th anniversary of finding the relics of St. Sergius of Radonezh, in which Patriarch Kirill took part. Employees of the Tretyakov Gallery protested against the transfer of the icon and were sure that its removal from museum conditions could have irreversible consequences for the preservation of the masterpiece.
The icon was returned to the Tretyakov Gallery on July 19, when the restorers reported that there were no «visible signs of deterioration», adding that they would return the «Trinity» to its usual place in the exhibition.