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The painting Lunatics and the conservation of it
After the Gambogi couple had moved to Volterra, Raffaello Gambogi started to paint a monumental painting with a motif from a womens mental hospital. Gambogi was occupied with the work for a long time and it functioned therapeutically for him, since he suffered from mental problems himself. The painting was considered a masterpiece and it took part in two exhibitions, in Milan in 1906 and in Florens in 1908. Despite the positive respons towards the painting, the Gambogi´s never succeeded to sell it – part of the reason being the large size, 2 x 4 meters.
Finally, Elin Danielson-Gambogi took it with her to Finland and offered it to many organisations, but none of her efforts were successful. Not even Ateneum Art Museum purchased it, although the value of the painting was understood.
What happened to the painting after this, is unknown. We only know that in 1946 it was donated to Turku Art Museum, but cut into pieces. Someone had cut out the center part picturing two women, to a size of 2 x 1 meters. Where the rest of the painting is, remains a mystery.
The Didrichsen Art Museum was interested to include it in the exhibition Italian Light, but was informed that the painting was in such a bad shape that it has not been on display and could not be given out on loan for the exhibition. Since the conservation budget of Turku Art Museum is limited, the museum could not afford to restore the painting. However, the Didrichsen Art Museum had a strong desire to show the painting, and managed to find financing for the conservation project. Turku Art Museum participated in the costs, the conservating company Consart promised to do part of the work without charge, and the transportation company TNT promised to take care of the transports. The final, and major support came from the Italian Cultural Institute in Helsinki, without whom the project could not have been realized. The painting is on display in the exhibition Elin Danielson-Gambogi in Italian Light for the first time in almost a hundred years.
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Lunatics in its presence format before the conservation
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Lunatics in its original format
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