The star attraction of the National Gallery of Australia's summer blockbuster was yesterday gingerly lifted from his crate by anxious staff under the watchful eye of Italian conservator Giovanni Valagussa who had travelled 16000km with his charge.
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It was one of those goosebump moments witnessing Raphael's 500-year old painting Saint Sebastian being hung gently on his very own pale ochre wall.
The Canberra Times had exclusive access to the gallery where more than 70 precious works, including a Titian, two Botticellis and two Bellinis were being unpacked and hung after being flown in from Italy under tight security.
Renaissance - 15th & 16th Century Italian Paintings from the Accademia Carrara, Bergamo opens next Friday and is the culmination of years of planning.
The exhibition was only made possible because the art academy and gallery in northern Italy is undergoing renovations, allowing the works to travel, some possibly for the last time.
Mr Valagussa, who flew in to Canberra last week with one of two consignments of works, said it was unlikely Saint Sebastian, a priceless oil and gold painting on wood panel, would leave Bergamo once the building reopened in 2013. ''I think this is a special opportunity to see this painting here because, as you know, we are working on the building, but after the opening, it won't travel again,'' he said. ''We have decided after the opening that we won't loan it for a number of years.''
Mr Valagussa said the Canberra exhibition comprised ''absolutely'' the biggest and most important collection the academy had ever loaned and was also the furthest any of their works had travelled.
''We started in 2008 with about 10 exhibitions, but never so an important like this one. We have had exhibitions in Europe, which is not so far, and never a number of masterworks like this one.''
He said previous exhibitions had followed certain themes such as portraits, landscapes, the Venetian art or French art which were supplied from the academy's extensive collection which comprises more than 1700 paintings and thousands of drawings. ''But here we really have the masterworks of our collection,'' he said.
The exhibition will have timed ticketing for its season with about 400 tickets being sold per hour.
Tickets are $25, available from the NGA front desk or online at www.ticketek.com.au