The Courtauld Gallery was “unaffected” by a fire that broke out on the roof of Somerset House in central London today, the museum posted on X, formerly Twitter. Based in the north wing of the historic site, the Courtauld, which houses masterpieces by Van Gogh, Manet and Cézanne among many others, will reopen on 18 August.
Professor Mark Hallett, the Märit Rausing Director of The Courtauld, said in a statement: “The Courtauld, including our galleries and collection of artworks, is unaffected by the fire. As a precaution, we have closed the galleries for the rest of the day.”
The director of Somerset House Trust, Jonathan Reekie, told The Guardian that the fire broke out in the west wing of the building and there were “no artworks in that area”. The Courtauld Gallery director, Ernst Vegelin, was also present on site.
Around 125 firefighters and 15 fire engines battled the blaze at the historic building on the Strand, according to a statement posted by the London Fire Brigade. There are no reported injuries; the causes of fire are now being examined while the full extent of the damage is currently unknown. Numerous business and companies occupy the site, which has become a key arts hub in the capital.
Assistant Commissioner Keeley Foster, who was at the scene, said in a statement: “The fire was located in part of the building’s roof space. The age and design of the building proved a challenge for crews as they initially responded. As a result, four of the Brigade’s aerial ladders, including a 64 metre turntable ladder, were deployed to support firefighters as they carried out a complex and technical response. This included creating fire breaks in the roof, which has now limited the spread of flames.”
Somerset House has closed while the fire brigade battles the blaze © The Art Newspaper
Somerset House posted on X earlier today: “All staff and public are safe and the site is closed. The London Fire Brigade arrived swiftly and we’re working very closely with them to control the spread of the fire.”
The Courtauld Gallery of Art reopened in November 2021 following a four-year refurbishment. The restored and expanded complex houses a plethora of new galleries and spaces with backing from major sponsors including the luxury conglomerate LVMH and the Ukrainian-born billionaire Leonard Blavatnik.
The initial Tudor palace at the Somerset House site was built by the Duke of Somerset around 1547; the current government on-site buildings were initiated by King George III around 1776. The Courtauld Institute and Gallery moved to their current premises at Somerset House in 1989 (prior to the move, the institution was spread across several buildings at Portman Square with some of the collection on display at the Warburg Institute).