Serlachius Museums have relied on an insurance broker for years
The two Serlachius Museums in Mänttä-Vilppula, Gösta and Gustaf, form a whole museum complex. The Gösta museum’s facilities also serve as the premises of a third-party fine dining restaurant entrepreneur. An artist residence is also located on the premises of the museum.
The Serlachius Museums has an ongoing insurance management agreement with Söderberg & Partners, and their insurance coverage has been updated and checked periodically. Artworks in general are relatively valuable and demand various precautions related to their transport, storage and handling.
“Some of the artworks are included in our overall insurance, but we also have separate insurances for exhibitions and certain artworks,” says Juha Roponen, Chief Financial Officer of Serlachius Museums.
Authenticity of a Monet revealed through scientific studies
One of the best-known artworks of the Serlachius Museums is Haystack in the Evening Sun by Claude Monet, a considerably valuable piece of art that has been part of the Serlachius Fine Arts Foundation’s collection since the late 1950s.
“There is no signature on the painting, and certainty of its authenticity could not be established until 2015,” says Roponen.
The University of Jyväskylä’s hyperspectral camera revealed Monet’s name and the year 1891 marked underneath a layer of paint. Pigment and fibre analyses also confirmed that the painting was genuinely by Monet.
“Authenticity of the painting could not be proven until now as the appropriate technology had not yet been developed,” says Roponen.
Insurance coverage across borders
In art, it can be impossible to find appropriate insurance coverage within Finland. Serlachius has obtained insurance coverage from Norway, among other countries, through the Söderberg & Partners international network. In addition to artworks and exhibitions, the Serlachius Museums has also taken out insurance for the historical museum properties in Mänttä.
Roponen says that he has been satisfied with the cooperation for several years. According to his contact person, Markku Rantanen, it has been a pleasure to visit the Serlachius Museums as a result of this cooperation, and he recommends everyone to visit the site.
Serlachius Museums
Art museum Gösta has been active in Mänttä from 1945 in the Joenniemi Manor, a home built by the highly respected industrialist Gösta Serlachius to entertain guests. The exhibitions of the Serlachius Museum Gustaf are related to the history and art of the paper industry. The museum building itself, a former headquarters of a forest company, is a sight to behold. There are more than 50 permanent and about 20 part-time or fixed-term employees at the Serlachius Museums, respectively. The museums are managed by the Gösta Serlachius Fine Arts Foundation, which is also responsible for managing the Gösta Serlachius art collection.
Photo: Serlachius Museums
