Fine Art Movers: Keeping the Show on the Road

What do you need in great fine art movers? Vast expertise and a laser-like attention to detail are essential.

Before the world’s most expensive painting was auctioned in New York in November, it embarked on a global tour so people could get a first-hand look at the last Leonardo Da Vinci painting in private hands.

Around 20,000 people turned up in London, Hong Kong, San Francisco and New York to gaze at the Renaissance master’s haunting rendition of Christ as Saviour of the World (Salvator Mundi) ahead of its record-breaking auction in New York, where it went for $450 million (£342 million).

For fine art movers, transporting a priceless, 500-year-old work of art around the globe was sure to have been an exercise in extreme caution. But auction house Christie’s, which was selling the painting, was determined that the public should get a glimpse of the piece. “The experience of setting eyes on a work described as the ‘Divine Mona Lisa’ — one of fewer than 20 paintings acknowledged as being from the renaissance master’s hand — is one that has moved people in many different ways, with those experiences being shared myriad times via social media,” the company said.

Fine Art Movers and Cutting the Risks

The risks of shipping valuable items of fine art are not just that they may be damaged, or even destroyed, along the way. There is always the possibility that painting and other kinds of fine art can be stolen in transit, or at a fine art storage facility, and never be seen again. It’s all too common and professional thieves are always on the lookout for their next opportunity, keeping their ear to the ground so they know when expensive artworks are being moved.

After all, one of the world’s most famous paintings was stolen — another work by Da Vinci: the Mona Lisa. It’s arguable that such was the media storm surrounding the heist, which occurred in 1911, that it elevated the great work to even more dizzying heights, in the process creating a legendary artwork that has achieved celebrity status.

Then, as in the case of the Salvator Mundi and other high-priced artworks sold at auction, there’s the whole process of shipping artworks to their new owners, wherever they happen to be in the world. It’s not known who purchased the Da Vinci — all others, just over a dozen, are in museums and art galleries — but certainly they would want their lofty new purchase to arrive in one piece.

Professional Fine Art Movers: The Only Choice

So whether you’re an art gallery, museum or antiques house owner, director or manager and you’re looking for fine art movers to get your next show on the road, professionalism and experience are key. You will not want your precious paintings and other valuable works handled by people at every stage of the process — from packing to dispatching — who have little knowledge or expertise in what they’re doing.

Here at Momentous, we pride ourselves on our vast experience in moving works of art big and small, around the UK and wider Europe and right around the world. We plan out everything in detail, so that the risks are minimised. Our highly trained art technicians and specialist art transport vehicles can move anything from just one work to an entire exhibition amounting to dozens of paintings, sculptures and everything else.

And if shipping art by air instead of sea is your choice, that’s not a problem. We are able to provide our very own flight courier who will travel with the works and provide the kind of high-level personal care and attention you and your works deserve. Moving invaluable artwork is always a Momentous decision, so make sure you make the right choice.

Discover more about the best in fine art shipping by contacting the global experts at Momentous today. Our expert fine art movers can tell you all about our facilities, procedures and security that will protect your fine art while in transit or storage.