ブラジル首都襲撃 貴重な美術品が破損

【ブラジリアＡＦＰ＝時事】ブラジルの首都ブラジリアでジャイル・ボルソナロ前大統領（６７）の支持者に襲撃され、大統領府や最高裁、連邦議会の建物および高価な美術品が被害を受けた。（写真は損傷したブラジル大統領府の絵画）
　建物の中には、国内美術作家の作品のほか、各国から寄贈された作品なども多数置かれていた。
　最高裁前に置かれた高さ３メートル以上ある花こう岩製の「正義」の像は、ブラジル人彫刻家アルフレド・セスキアッティが１９６１年に手掛けた作品。目隠しをして剣を膝に置いて座る女性像の胸の部分にスプレーで落書きされた。
　大統領府では、フランス国王ルイ１４世お抱えの時計職人が手掛けた優美で精巧な時計が倒され、大きく破損していた。
　ブラジル近代美術の巨匠エミリアーノ・ディ・カバルカンティの絵画には、刃物による損傷が７か所あった。大統領府は同作品について「推定価格は８００万レアル（約２億円）」だが、同様の作品が競売で５倍の値をつけることも珍しくないと説明した。
　また、ブラジル人建築家オスカー・ニーマイヤーと娘がデザインし、ブラジリアの都市建設計画を進めたジュセリーノ・クビチェック元大統領が使っていた机はバリケードとして使われ、破損していたとしている。
　窓ガラスが多数割られた３棟の建物自体も、ニーマイヤーによる近代建築の粋として知られる。
　国立歴史美術遺産院は「極めて残念」とコメントを発表し、近く専門家による調査を行い、どの程度の修復が必要か確認するとしている。【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】
〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2023/01/11-13:14）

Slashed canvas on a modern masterpiece, graffiti spray-painted on statues, a smashed Louis XIV clock: the horde of supporters of far-right former president Jair Bolsonaro who invaded Brasilia's hubs of power at the weekend ransacked everything in their path, including priceless works of art.
The three vandalized buildings -- the presidential palace known as the Planalto, the Supreme Court and Congress -- are themselves treasures of modern architecture designed by Oscar Niemeyer.
The futuristic constructions, featuring the emblematic curves of the iconic Brazilian architect, are for many what earned the capital -- a landmark in the history of urban planning -- its classification as a UNESCO world heritage site in 1987.
And each building, whose windows were mostly smashed in by the invading mob, was also full of rare furnishings or works by great Brazilian modern artists, or international works donated by other countries.
The Institute of National Artistic Historical Heritage (Iphan) said in a statement that it deeply deplored the damage caused and said an expert assessment would be carried soon out to evaluate the restoration needs.
Here are some of the most iconic pieces damaged:
- Justice spray-painted -
A monumental granite statue called Justice, sculpted in 1961 by Brazilian Alfredo Ceschiatti, sits in front of the Supreme Court, on The Square of the Three Powers, opposite the presidential palace.
Towering more than three meters (10 feet), it represents a blindfolded woman sitting with a sword on her lap.
On Sunday, the stone figure was spray painted with the graffiti tag Perdeu, mane, (You lost, poor fool), on her chest.
That was the put-down used by one of the judges of the Supreme Court, Luis Roberto Barroso, to address a Bolsonaro supporter who challenged him on the reliability of electronic ballot boxes used in November's elections, shortly after Bolsonaro lost to leftist Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.
- Louis XIV clock -
An exquisite clock made by Balthazar Martinot, clock-maker to King Louis XIV of France, was found knocked to the ground on the third floor of the presidential palace, with extensive damage to its brown and gold casing and a gaping hole in place of the dial.
According to the presidency, it was a gift from the Sun King to the Portuguese crown and brought by King Joao VI to Brazil in 1808, when he fled Lisbon as Napoleonic troops approached.
Only two clocks of this type were made by the master horologist: the other, which is half the size, is on display at the Chateau de Versailles.
Restoration of the one in Brasilia will be very difficult, said Rogerio Carvalho, who is responsible for the heritage of the presidential palaces.
- Modernist masterpiece stabbed -
The painting Mulattoes by Di Cavalcanti, a master of Brazilian modernism, exhibited in the Noble Hall on the third floor of the Presidential Palace, was seriously damaged.
The canvas, completed in 1962 and showing four women, was stabbed seven times by rioters, according to the presidency.
Its value is estimated at eight million reais (about $1.5 million), but this kind of work is usually sold for five times more at auction, the presidency said.
- Historic table used as barricade -
The work table of Juscelino Kubitschek, the visionary former Brazilian president behind the construction of Brasilia in the middle of the savannah and inaugurated in 1960, was also damaged.
The dark brown table, designed by Oscar Niemeyer and his only daughter Anna Maria, was knocked over and used as a barricade by rioters to block law enforcement officers from entering, the presidency said.