Suomi
The freight forwarding and logistics specialist Beweship handled the transport of one volume of Conrad Gessner’s (1516–1565) plant drawings from University of Tartu Library to National Museum Zurich via Helsinki. The botanical manuscript was on display in the treasury hall of the museum and was recently safely returned to Tartu.
Conrad von Gessner was born in Zurich in 1516. He was one of the most notable scholars of Switzerland and he contributed to various sciences such as botany, zoology, medicine and pharmacy. His activities as a theologist, philologist, lexicographer and bibliographer were so remarkable that he is called the Swiss Leonardo da Vinci.
To celebrate the 500th anniversary of the Swiss 16th century universal scholar, the National Museum Zürich held a special exhibition, “Conrad Gessner 1516-1565”. The exhibition was unprecedented in its scale and many drawings were on display for the first time in hundreds of years. University of Tartu Library lent one volume of 16th century plant drawings, that once belonged to Gessner, for the exhibition.
The freight forwarding and logistics company Beweship is also specialized in handling fine art shipments and took care of transporting the valuable volume to Zürich and back to Tartu. It was transported in a specially made wooden carrier-case as hang-luggage. Courier Ave Teesalu from University of Tartu Library is pleased that everything went well despite the huge responsibility. “I want to thank fine art coordinator Anette Pyykölä from Beweship for an excellent organization. I really don’t think this could have succeeded better”, Teesalu says.
“The security escort at Helsinki airport made me feel safe and at ease”, Teesalu recalls and continues: “I feel very privileged to have worked with this shipment, and to have seen the whole Conrad Gessner exhibition. It was very impressive and multifaceted, inspiring display of a humanist spirit of the 16th century Switzerland. I am also very pleased that University of Tartu Library could contribute to such a remarkable project in Gessner’s hometown”, Teesalu ends.
The exhibition was very well received and the museum is very pleased with the visitor count.
The exhibition celebrating Conrad Gessner’s 500th birthday was on open in the National Museum Zurich from 17th March – 19th of June. Due to transportation security reasons, Beweship was unable to disclose information about the exhibition while the exhibition was still on-going.