Bruegel exhibition: UNIQA ensuring its survival for future generations

• UNIQA is one of the main sponsors of the Kunsthistorisches Museum
• Six years of research have gone into the Bruegel exhibition
• Insuring art means preserving art
• UNIQA art insurance is the first port of call for collectors in Austria

The twelve panels by Pieter Bruegel the Elder, the centrepiece of the Bruegel exhibition which opened today, are some of the most valuable but also the most fragile pieces of art that the Kunsthistorisches Museum has in its collection. Extensive knowledge of the panels’ condition and their history is required to be able to exhibit them. UNIQA Österreich worked alongside as a partner in the lengthy research and preservation work during the six years spent preparing the Bruegel exhibition. A total of twelve paintings have been gradually examined and scientifically analysed in restoration workshops since 2012. The findings from this analysis formed the basis for the first major monographic exhibition of “peasant Bruegel”.

UNIQA’s commitment as one of the main sponsors of the Kunsthistorisches Museum extends far beyond directly protecting the pieces during transport and at exhibitions. “For us, insurance means preservation”, said Petra Eibel, Head of UNIQA art insurance. “We see ourselves as a long-term partner of the KHM, including in the sense of social responsibility —preserving priceless pieces of art for future generations.” The Bruegel wood panels are particularly costly to maintain on account of their age, at over 450 years old. Of the just over 40 hand-painted pictures by the Flemish master, some can no longer even be transported and the majority have never even been loaned out. The exhibition at KHM, with around 30 paintings and a further 60 illustrations and artworks, provides a first-ever and unique overview. It is open to the public from 2 October 2018 until 13 January 2019.

All-risk coverage for museum and private collections
UNIQA is Austria’s leading insurer of art with an international outlook and over 20 years of experience. It has branches in Cologne, Zurich and London. Its customers include museums, galleries, various art institutions and private collectors. Anyone who takes out UNIQA art insurance receives all-risk coverage including advice on presenting their collector’s items and on conservation and restoration matters. UNIQA specialists are also on hand to help with issues such as safely hanging work and ensuring optimal ambient conditions. It is of utmost importance for art collectors that their insurance partner is not merely an insurance expert, but that they also understand art and the passion of art collectors – and of course the discretion that is essential in this business. In 2017, UNIQA insured over EUR 29 billion of artwork.