Flying Dutchman

In this exquisite transport project, hasenkamp is in demand as a bridge builder between the continents of Europe and America: the aptly named painting "The Drawbridge" by Vincent van Gogh from 1888, which is valued at 53 million euros and is owned by the Wallraf-Richartz Museum in Cologne, is being loaned for the first time in over 20 years. The borrower is the Detroit Institute of Art in the USA, which is bringing together works by the Dutch Post-Impressionist master from all over the world for an exhibition lasting several months.

But before America gets a glimpse of the motif, "The Drawbridge" is flown across the pond to Detroit. A special, climate-stable transport crate protects the van Gogh work during transport in an air-suspended and air-conditioned lorry to the airport. The crate is then safely stowed in the belly of an aeroplane before being transported to the museum again by special truck. The registrar of the Cologne museum accompanies the entire transport to the installation in the museum.

If you ask the art packers, the estimated value of a work of art plays no role in the always careful handling of an object. And the same can be observed in this project. The hand movements required to remove the valuable painting from the easel, to pack it airtight and dustproof and then to fit it securely in the climate-controlled crate are perfect. Another hasenkamp employee, who is a certified air freight security inspector, declares the object as safe freight during the packing process and seals the climate-controlled crate. The crate must not be opened again until it is unpacked in the museum - the courier monitors and witnesses this. And when the masterpiece has finally found its place in the exhibition, you won't be able to tell that it has travelled so far. Even 134 years after its creation, the drawbridge enchants its viewers - just like van Gogh himself, who is said to have been reminded of his Dutch homeland by the French bridge and used it as a motif in five different works.