A dangerous operation
Zsolt Berta, head of the fine arts packers’ group in the Museum of Fine Arts
MúzeumCafé 10.
There are some people in an exceptional position. They are the privileged ones who can not only admire but also hold in their hands Van Gogh’s paintings, statues and chalices from the time of the Medicis or Sigismund of Luxemburg, not to mention treasures from ancient Egypt. Needless to say, they have to be careful and must take great care, but that’s no problem since for them it is their profession. As with other museums around the world, a special group moves and packs works of art for the Museum of Fine Arts. Zsolt Berta is in charge of the team. Originally a locksmith, Mr Berta qualified as an art restorer and has been working in the Fine Arts Museum since 1993. At first he helped to put together exhibitions, but since 1998 he has been in charge of the packers’ group. He currently manages seven people who handle the invaluable paintings and statues, which are often insured for astronomical amounts. The team is located in the museum’s labyrinth-like basement. Entering their domain, it is quite clear that the eight of them constitute a family – they know they depend on each other and that they need each other’s help. “This work is varied, full of challenges and excitement. That’s why we love it,” explains Zsolt Berta. “Our job is not only to move a work of art from one place to another. It also includes, for example, preventive restoration since a wrong move can cause great damage, which may change the nature and history of an object for ever. I am a restorer, but it all goes back to my childhood in the town of Dombóvár where my cabinet maker father taught me to carve wood.” “My sons will soon be twelve, the other is seven. They love coming in to visit ‘dad’s museum.”