This year, we were delighted to lend The Sower of the Systems by G F Watts to an exhibition at the Fondation Vincent Van Gogh, Arles. Sarah Mercer, our Collections Officer, accompanied the painting on its journey to France. She kept us updated with its progress, giving us an insight into what is involved when a painting travels abroad.

About the exhibition

Van Gogh et les Étoiles (Van Gogh and the Stars) is an exhibition celebrating Vincent Van Gogh’s Starry Night Over the Rhône, 1888. It marks the first time the masterpiece has returned to Arles since it was painted there over a century ago. The Sower of the Systems is among 130 artworks by 78 modern and contemporary artists who explore astronomy and celestial themes. Watts Gallery was the only UK lender to the exhibition. We were delighted that this significant painting by G F Watts could be included in this exhibition, alongside works by Edvard Munch, Georgia O’Keeffe, and Helen Frankenthaler, among others.

About The Sower of the Systems

The Sower of the Systems, 1902, is one of G F Watts’ most abstract and philosophical paintings, completed right at the end of his life. It features a twisting god-like figure in a blue cloak, captured in the act of creation, throwing out constellations of stars and comets into a swirling cosmos. It is painted with rapid, instinctive brushstrokes, which gives the work a sense of frenetic movement. It echoes the post-impressionist landscapes of Vincent Van Gogh and foreshadows the development of expressionist and abstract art in the early 20th century.

What is a courier?

When a painting from our collection travels abroad to be exhibited, it is normal practice for a member of curatorial staff from Watts Gallery to join it for some - or all - of the journey. This is called a courier. The courier is responsible for the care of the painting as it travels, making sure it is packed safely, handled carefully and stored securely. This is usually paid for by the borrowing institution. As this was my first international courier trip, our Senior Curatorial Consultant, Laura MacCulloch, joined me for the journey. Together we accompanied the painting on a mammoth three-day road trip as it travelled first to London, then Paris, and finally Arles.

Preparing to travel

Before The Sower of the Systems left home, we invited the painting’s adopters, Ron and Jane Cork, to visit it one last time in our onsite store. I promised to keep them posted on its progress to France. They let me know of their plans to visit the painting once the exhibition is open.

A few weeks before the trip, we asked specialist paintings conservator Sally Marriott to check and prepare the painting and its frame for exhibition. She carefully cleaned the paint surface, secured the stretcher and added glazing to the frame. This creates a ‘microclimate’, a sealed pocket of air around the painting that protects it from changes in temperature and humidity. This is particularly important when a painting travels. Finally, she completed a detailed condition report, recording the current state of the painting and any known historic issues such as cracking, marks and retouching to the paint surface.

The journey   

On the afternoon of day one, the painting is packed securely into a bespoke crate and loaded onto the van. The back of the van is kitted out with straps and an onboard climate control unit that keeps the temperature between 19-21°C. We set off in bright sunshine, waving goodbye to Watts Gallery for the week. We arrive to a very wet London to oversee the crate unloaded for its first stopover. This was at the art handling company’s storage facility. I check and record the temperature and humidity of the storage room and see it being locked up for the night.

Early on day two, I wake up to more heavy rain. I walk 10 minutes to the storage facility (getting completely soaked en route) and pack my suitcase into the van, before seeing the crate onto the truck. The crate is built and treated to withstand rain and humidity, which helps prevent any sudden downpours from affecting the painting when it is being moved. However, all this takes place under cover and our crate is kept nice and dry. Our next journey is all the way to Paris, through the Channel Tunnel. We have a short wait at customs in Dover before setting off for the train, and in no time the fields of northern France are flying by.

Once we arrive in Paris, the crate is handed over to a French courier company and locked away for the night. In the morning, it will be added to a much larger shipment of works that have travelled from all over the world. I complete some paperwork to record this handover. We say goodbye to the British art handlers, who will head home the next day. We are then free to explore Paris for the evening. We take a walk along the Seine and catch a glimpse of the Eiffel Tower glittering across the river before heading to bed.

Day three is our longest day of travel. Once we hear that the crate has cleared British customs at around 9:30am, everything is carefully loaded onto the new truck and we set off for Arles. Muhammed, one of the French art handlers, shares around a bag of delicious French pastries, fresh from the bakery that morning. Along the way, we are delayed by heavy storms, interspersed with glorious sunshine. We pass through beautiful countryside, following the Rhône river as it winds through mountains and hills. As the sun sets, we begin to spot the iconic rows of Provençal cypress trees that feature in so many of Van Gogh’s landscapes.

We finally arrive in Arles as night falls, three hours later than expected. We carefully wind our way through the narrow, cobbled streets before reaching the Fondation Vincent Van Gogh, which is right by the Rhône. A large team of art handlers greet us, and quickly get to work unpacking the crates. Once everything is secure and the conditions checked, the technical team leader, Daniel, walks us to our hotel. It overlooks the famous Roman Arena in the centre of Arles.

Unpacking the crate

Now that the journey is complete, it is good practice to allow the painting plenty of time to acclimatise to its new environment. The crate is left sealed in the space where it will be unpacked. This allows the temperature and humidity inside the crate to slowly adjust to match its surroundings. This means that no sudden changes take place when the crate is opened, which could damage the painting or its frame. As we arrived in Arles a bit later than expected, we request a later install appointment to allow more time. Thankfully, the Fondation were happy to accommodate. We spend the day exploring Arles, an ancient town with many Roman buildings. It's also the site of several paintings by Van Gogh. The air is scented with jasmine and honeysuckle which climbs the walls of the narrow, winding streets. We sit by the river in the sunshine and enjoy more delicious French patisserie – when in Rome!

Later on, we arrive for our appointment at the Fondation. We are greeted by the exhibition curators, a paintings conservator, and a team of art handlers. They carefully get to work unpacking the crate. Once unwrapped, the conservator checks the painting and frame for any damage from the journey. She refers to Sally’s condition report and notes a few additional historic losses and cracks. We spot a tiny, non-structural corner of the frame which has come loose. This is immediately consolidated, with our permission, using a specialist conservation adhesive. Watts frames are very old and fragile, so this was not a surprise and was remedied quickly and easily.

We then agree on the fixings that need to be used, and the art handlers attach them to the frame. The fixings are attached to historic holes in the frame, from previous exhibitions. This is best practice, and means we won't add any stress to the frame by making new holes. Next, we check and agree the height and placement of the painting with the curators and it is carefully placed on the wall. We all breathe a sigh of relief! All that is left to do is complete the final pieces of paperwork and wave goodbye to Sower of the Systems until September, when the whole process will be repeated in reverse. Au revoir!

Van Gogh and the Stars is currently on display at the Fondation Vincent Van Gogh, Arles. For more information about the exhibition, click here. Until 8 September 2024.