Dynamic anoxia treatment at the Bonnat-Helleu Museum in Bayonne
Bovis Anoxia operates in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department, providing dynamic anoxia services.
The Bonnat-Helleu Museum, the fine arts museum in Bayonne, has been closed since April 2011 for a significant construction and renovation project scheduled to conclude in 2025.
Following the construction of an extension, all collections were transferred by the Bovis Fine Art team from the old building to the dynamic anoxia chamber installed in the museum’s future exhibition hall. This operation ensures that no pests are transferred into the new storage areas through the artworks.
Over 7,550 works of various types (graphic arts, photographs, paintings, frames, sculptures, furniture, textiles, etc.) were placed on shelves to allow nitrogen to spread everywhere and ensure the treatment’s effectiveness.
Once nitrogen has replaced all the oxygen in the approximately 400 m3 anoxia chamber, the treatment lasts for 21 days to guarantee the elimination of all insects at every stage of development (from egg to imago).
Upon completion of the treatment in mid-January 2024, the artworks will be arranged in the museum’s new storage facilities by the Bovis Fine Art team.
Bovis Fine Art, an expert in dynamic anoxia
Bovis Fine Art is now a recognized player in dynamic anoxia in France. Our teams operate nationwide with our mobile chambers. These treatment containers can be positioned at one of our 33 agencies in France or directly at our clients’ locations. For larger volumes of artworks requiring dynamic anoxia treatment, as in the case of the Bonnat-Helleu Museum, we can also install on-site anoxia chambers.
Learn more about the Bonnat-Helleu Museum
The Bonnat-Helleu Museum was built between 1896 and 1898 in the Petit Bayonne district, located at the confluence of the Adour and Nive rivers. Its name is derived from the painter Léon Bonnat (1833-1922), who bequeathed his collection of nearly 3,000 drawings, paintings, sculptures, and art objects upon his death. In addition to this fine arts collection, the museum boasts one of the thirty most significant drawing cabinets in the world, with over 3,500 drawings by Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Raphael, Rubens, Rembrandt, etc.
To date, the museum houses a collection of nearly 7,000 works, which will be presented to the public in its new premises starting from 2025.
