In a working site near Paris, several people are busy cleaning a canvas (画布), trying to correct the pains of time: the repairing of 22 paintings of Notre-Dame (巴黎圣母院) which was damaged by a fire in April 2019, is “a race against time”.
The project of repairing these works, which must be returned to the building for its reopening in 2024, is a unique one compared to others.
“Two years may seem like a long time, but that’s the time it takes to do the job of simply one canvas like The Triumph of Job, which is behind us,” one expert Laurence said, pointing out the huge work several meters high by the Italian artist Guido Reni, which was hung behind her back.
“You do not touch a canvas without knowing its medical history”, underlines Lavit, heritage curator (馆长) at the Center of research and repair of the Museums of France.
Once this history is known, the paintings move on to cleaning. The protector-repairer Pasquali stresses that it is a team effort.
Opposite her is Hulot, an expert in repair. One object of his attention is The Martyrdom of Saint Bartholomew by French artist Lubin Baugin. His job is to make sure that the canvases do not break.
Meanwhile, another team takes care of the frames. “The heat of the fire dried and weaken the wood,” comments Galopin.
Once all these steps have been completed, the paintings are stored in a special room. It takes between 8 and 10 people to move them safely. They will remain there until the reopening of the church.
6. What do we know about the repair work?
A.Its focus is on cleaning a canvas. |
B.It is considered as the pains of time. |
C.It is different from all other projects. |
D.Its working site is in the city of Paris. |
7. Why does the writer say the repair work is “a race against time”?
A.The paintings were badly damaged in the 2019 fire. |
B.Workers need to spend two years studying one canvas. |
C.The huge work of an Italian artist should be returned soon. |
D.The project is to be completed by the reopening of the church. |
8. How many paintings are mentioned in the text?
A.One. | B.Two. | C.Three. | D.Four. |
9. Which one of the following is the last step of the project?
A.Moving on to cleaning. |
B.Taking care of the frames. |
C.Storing the paintings in a room. |
D.Getting to know its medical history. |
10. Which section of a newspaper is the text most probably taken from?
A.Travel and Experience. | B.Art and Culture. |
C.Science and Technology. | D.History and Legend. |