The journey of a scantily clad Rubens

“It was such a large piece that we had to saw and open the door frame, as well as remove the bar at the entrance, which was replaced once the material was inside,” says Ana Penalva, the exhibition coordinator at La Caixa. The piece in question is The Judgement of Paris. If you think about it, it inevitably becomes associated with the Prado Museum. It seems like the painting should stay there forever, and it hasn't moved for over ten years. But no. Works of art travel, moving from museum to museum and abandoning their permanent space, even if that's not the norm.

From May 29th to June 4th, CaixaFòrum is hosting the exhibition "Rubens and the Artists of Flemish Baroque," a collection of 64 pieces, including drawings and paintings by the artist, which are now traveling from the Madrid museum to Barcelona. La Vanguardia has access to the pre-exhibition process, when the protective wrapping of the pieces is removed during transport, and a meticulous ritual is used to verify that every scratch, speck of dust, moisture, or trace of saliva, imperceptible to the public, remains in exactly the same place.

"It's not about restoring defects, but rather ensuring that everything remains in the same condition," explains Alicia Peral, the Prado restorer who traveled with the paintings to ensure their safe arrival. She represents the role of the mailman or courier , the person in charge of ensuring the conservation conditions are met and overseeing the transfer of the artworks. She is present from the moment the boxes containing the paintings are sealed at the Prado until they are placed in the CaixaFòrum.

This is the first time the painting has been exhibited after its restoration, which lasted nine months.

A retinue of armored packages lie side by side. The 64 pieces in the exhibition arrived in two different trucks. They didn't travel alone; they were escorted to ensure their safety. Their arrival at the CaixaFòrum took place through the entrance on Morabos Street. Up to five men are needed to open the box containing the Judgment of Paris, covered in polycarbonate methacrylate that protects it from changes in humidity. With almost medical meticulousness, and from left to right, Alícia Peral checks the condition of the piece with an LED flashlight and a tablet with a clear photograph of the original. A process that, due to the size of the painting, takes almost ten minutes. The restorer uses this time to explain that in this type of inspection, "there aren't usually too many surprises." With the help of a mapping (Alteration Map), he ensures that no further alterations have appeared and proceeds to prepare the "restoration report" to clear the way for the workers and the final placement of the canvas.

In a seesaw of "a little more to the right" followed by "a little more to the left," six men position the piece. Using green and red infrared rays, the painting's angle is balanced so that it must not lean to either side. Once the position is secure, it is left hanging. It is necessary to stand back a few meters to check, from a better perspective, that the final position is correct.

This is the first time the painting has been exhibited since its nine-month restoration by María Antonia de Asiaín: “It was a work that was in the gallery, but the moment had come when the painting was losing its colors and its ability to communicate with the public,” explains the restorer.

The piece narrates the myth that explains the Trojan War. Zeus chooses Aphrodite as the most beautiful, after she promised him Helen, the most beautiful woman, as his wife. Her abduction triggers the confrontation between Greece and Troy: "In the 18th century, a painter from Charles III's quarry covered the cloths of Aphrodite and Athena even more to hide the deities' nude appearance," Peral recounts.

In the 18th century, a painter from the Carlos III quarry covered the nude of the divinities. Alicia Peral Restorer

The piece narrates the myth that explains the Trojan War. Zeus chooses Aphrodite as the most beautiful, after she promised him Helen, the most beautiful woman, as his wife. Her abduction triggers the confrontation between Greece and Troy: "In the 18th century, a painter from Charles III's quarry covered the cloths of Aphrodite and Athena even more to hide the deities' nude appearance," Peral recounts.

Just as Rubens drew on collaborative work, the transfer of his works is also a team effort. From the moment the painting leaves the Prado until its installation, the journey has involved more than ten people. Without any surprises or setbacks. The return trip to the Prado will take place in June.