Following a heated debate about the possible temporary transfer of the Riace Bronzes from Calabria to Milan for Expo 2015, Cultural Heritage Minister Dario Franceschini has set up a committee of scientific experts to determine whether it is safe for the statues to be moved.
The famous Riace Bronzes are kept at the National Museum of Magna Grecia in Reggio Calabria, 1,200 kilometers from Milan. Some experts fear that even a slight movement could result in the statues’ destruction.
However, leading Italian art critic Vittorio Sgarbi, recently nominated “Ambassador of Fine Arts for Expo 2015”, said the 2,500-year-old statues should be temporarily transferred to Milan so visitors to the Expo can admire such a precious work of art that is a pride of the Italian art heritage. He said the statues belong to the State, not to the region of Calabria, which therefore should make no resistance to the transfer. As part of his plan, he proposed one third of the Expo ticket sales related to the Riace Bronzes go to Calabria.
Italian Premier Matteo Renzi said moving the bronzes for the Expo makes no sense: “Why move them when I should be taking visitors from Milan to Reggio?” This idea is backed by Franceschini, who said that the Expo should be an occasion to encourage visitors to extend their stay and explore Italy beyond Milan.
The committee of experts, headed by archeology professor Giuliano Volpe, is expected to deliver their verdict in mid-October.
The Riace Bronzes were moved only once, in 1981, during a tour that stopped at Rome, Venice, and Milan; more than one million people paid a visit to the statues.
