The “incalculable” damage to the works of art vandalized by Bolsonarists in the headquarters of the powers of Brazil

The radical Bolsonaristas who attacked on Sunday the headquarters of the Presidency, Congress and the Supreme Court of Brazil They caused damage to numerous works of art that were in the palaces, some irreparable, and whose value is “incalculable”, according to the balances released this Monday.

From the monumental work “As mulatas”of the Brazilian painter Say Cavalcanteup to a pendulum clock that King John VI of Portugal received as a gift from the French monarch Louis XIV in the eighteenth century fThey appear on the lists of destroyed or damaged works by supporters of the former president Jair Bolsonaro.

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The damage was not limited to the works that decorated the halls of the Planalto Presidential Palace, owner of one of the main collections of Brazilian modernist art in the country, but also to paintings, sculptures and historical furniture that were in Congress and the Federal Supreme Court.

A vandalized painting depicting a political figure lies in a room of the National Congress in Brasilia on January 9, 2023. (CARL DE SOUZA / AFP).

“The terrorists who invaded the Planalto Palace looted and destroyed an important part of the artistic and architectural heritage gathered there and that represents an important chapter of national history”according to a statement from the Presidency.

“The value of what was destroyed is incalculable because of the history it represents,” affirmed the director of Curatorship of the Presidential Palaces, Rogerio Carvalho, who considers it possible, although expensive, to recover most of the works.

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Carvalho only considers “very difficult” the restoration of the clock that belonged to King John VIwhose author is the French watchmaker Balthazar Martinot and of whose productions only one other remains exhibited in the Palace of Versailles.

Destroyed photographs of Brazilian political figures. (AP).

In addition to damage to the artistic heritage, Bolsonaro’s followers, who are unaware of the victory of the progressive Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in the October presidential elections and are calling for a coup to remove him, also caused architectural damage to the three buildings created by the Brazilian Óscar Niemeyer.

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The enormous windows of the three palaces were completely destroyed and several columns and walls, in addition to having suffered blows, were vandalized with spray.

DAMAGED WORKS

According to a first partial balance of the Presidency, Among the damaged works are “Bandeira do Brasil” (1995), by the Brazilian Jorge Eduardowhich was found floating in a puddle that flooded the first floor of the Presidency after the vandals left the fire hydrants open.

The painting “As mulatas” by Di Cavalcanti, valued at about 1.5 million dollars and which decorates the Noble Hall of the Planalto Palace a few meters from Lula’s office, was torn into seven parts with sharp objects.

The sculpture “O Flautista”, by Bruno Jorge and valued at around 50,000 dollars, was completely destroyed, while a wooden sculpture by Frans Krajcberg was torn to pieces and its parts were scattered in various places.

Furniture that was removed from the assaulted buildings in Brasilia. (AP).

The list of damaged works also includes the work table of the president Juscelino Kubitscheck (1956-1961), who planned and founded Brasiliaand the sculpture “Apocalyptic Venus”, by the Argentine Marta Minujín.

All the photographs that were in the gallery of former Brazilian presidents were removed from the wall and smashed.

At the headquarters of the Congress the list includes the stained glass window “Araguaia”, by Marianne Peretti, who decorated the Green Room of the Lower House and which was totally destroyed; the bronze sculpture “A dancer”, by Victor Brecheret and which was registered as missing, and a sculpture by Athos Bulcão.

Also stolen from the Legislature were all the gifts from foreign authorities that were exposed in showcases and even a soccer ball with the autograph of the famous attacker Neymar and that it was part of an exhibition on the World Cup in Qatar 2022.

Workers measure the windows of the Planalto Palace the day after supporters of former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro stormed it in Brasilia. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres).

At the headquarters of the Supreme Court, the monumental sculpture “To Justice”, by Alfredo Ceschiatti, stained with aerosols; the sculptures of historical personalities that were in the “Hall of the Busts”; and a rug that belonged to Princess Isabel, daughter of Emperor Pedro II of Brazil.

Also in the court building the chairs used by the magistrates and designed by the architect Jorge Zalszupin and the historic coat of arms of the Republic were destroyed that decorated the main wall of the plenary court.

Source: Elcomercio