Mai Dantsing
„And the Saved World Remembers“ (1985)

The Belarusian artist Mai Dantsig devoted more than 10 years of his life to this work. The monumental painting „And the Saved World Remembers“ (3.7 x 7 m) was completed in 1985, 40 years after the end of the Second World War. The theme of war, however, has remained special for the Belarusian Dantsig. As it has for every citizen of Belarus where one in three citizens perished during the fascist occupation.   

The image of Raphael’s Sistine Madonna, a masterpiece from the collection of the Dresden Gallery, is at the center of the painting. The artist refers to a historical fact. During the war, even before the U.S. forces bombed Dresden, a unique collection of Old Master works was moved from the gallery to mines and quarries outside the city. When the hiding places were finally discovered, many of the paintings were damaged. The precious find was transported to Moscow, where the best experts of the USSR worked to save the masterpieces of the Dresden Gallery, under the supervision of the outstanding Soviet artist and painter Pavel Korin. In 1955, the restored collection was returned to Germany in its entirety.

The painting by the Belarusian master depicts the moment of „liberation“ of Rafael Santi’s Sistine Madonna from a mine gallery shelter, which, according to the author’s idea, serves as a metaphor for the liberation of Europe from fascism. The image of Mary embodies all the world’s culture and civilization, as well as liberated life, while the subjects around her – exhausted and wounded soldiers, widows, prisoners, burning cities – symbolize the high price that had to be paid to stop fascism.

Mai Dantsig (1930-2017) is a People’s Artist of Belarus, academician, participant in numerous exhibitions in the USSR and abroad. His works are in the collections of the Russian State Tretyakov Gallery and the National Museum of Art of the Republic of Belarus, as well as in private collections in Russia, Belgium, Germany, Israel and the United States.