Unique and rare art pieces from historical masters Picasso, Rembrandt, Goya, and MC Escher are among those thought to have been lost in a fire that tore down an art gallery in Seattle last Friday, Jan. 12.
The Extent of Damages Dealt to Davidson Galleries
According to the Seattle Fire investigators, the fire was likely started as a means for warmth in the alley behind the Davidson Galleries before it proceeded to spread into its low-rise building located within the city's Pioneer Square.
Rebecca McDonald, manager of the art gallery, told CNN that nobody was physically hurt as a result of the incident but several precious artworks within their collections were harmed by the fire and smoke.
"Much of the work, we hope, will be saved. We're triaging them now," he said, adding that it will most likely take weeks before the extent of the damages is fully assessed.
The gallery itself already had initial plans to move to the nearby 85 Yesler Way location. This meant many of the works on paper, which the gallery specialized in, were taken out of their protective storages unfortunately leaving them more susceptible to the heat of the ensuing fire.
As per its owner, Sam Davidson, he had collected around 16,000 to 18,000 artworks within the span of the past five decades.
The manager added that the oldest piece dated as far back as 1490, with the latest artworks being created as recently as just the previous week before the incident.
"I feel saddest for the contemporary artists who have trusted us with their works," said the owner. He added that the full gravity of the situation did not hit him until he arrived at the fire-torn gallery, saying, "It's just so black in there."
In a release made on the Davidson Galleries' official Facebook account, they wrote: "[The damage] was not as extensive as initially thought, and we are hopeful that we will be able to preserve the vast majority of our inventory."
As reported by CNN affiliate Kiro 7, a considerable number of art pieces in Davidson's collection were fortunately protected from smoke-induced disfigurement as they were covered in rag mats and mylar sheets.
The gallery was also grateful for the swift response of the local firefighters and their effective conservation efforts while trying to control the blazing fire.
