On Wednesday 2nd February 2022, a large truck from International Art Services spirited away two of the Abbey Museum’s collection of icons. This was the start of a journey for “Saint Michael as Guardian of the Host” and “Forty Martyrs of Sebaste” to Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki where they will be displayed from April to October 2022 as part of the exhibition Heavenly Beings: Icons of the Orthodox Christian World. They join an amazing collection of icons from significant private collections and public institutions in Australia and New Zealand.

Icons from the Abbey Museum Collection

The Abbey’s Art on Display

This isn’t the first time that the Abbey Museum has been asked to lend icons and other artworks for exhibitions. Our icons have been displayed at Queensland Art Gallery and Art Gallery of Ballarat. Queensland Art Gallery, University of Queensland and Moreton Regional Council have also shown many of our Old Master Paintings.

Although our art collection is known and well regarded in the art world, this is the first time that our works have journeyed so far.  We know that many objects in the Museum’s collection of art and artefacts are of international significance. Now an international audience is able to share them too.