On June 24, the Azerbaijan National Museum of Art opened an exhibition titled “Restoration: Respect for the Past, Legacy for the Future,” dedicated to the 65th anniversary of Honored Artist and top-level restorer Natig Safarov.

The opening ceremony, attended by numerous public and cultural figures, featured congratulatory speeches by Dr. Shirin Malikova, Director of the Azerbaijan National Museum of Art and PhD in Art Studies; Aghaali Ibrahimov, People’s Artist and Deputy Chairman of the Union of Artists of Azerbaijan; People’s Artist Salhab Mammadov; Dr. Telman Ibrahimov, Head of the Museum’s Research Department; Father Mifodiy, head priest of the Holy Archangel Michael Church in Baku; and Zahid Avazov, Director of the Khatai Art Center. They congratulated the honoree and spoke about Natig Safarov’s many years of work in the field of restoration and his invaluable contributions to cultural heritage preservation.

During the event, Natig Safarov was presented with a congratulatory letter from People’s Artist Farhad Khalilov, Chairman of the Union of Artists of Azerbaijan. In his speech, the honored artist expressed his gratitude for the kind words and the appreciation shown for the art of restoration.

Following the official part, attendees viewed the exhibition in detail.

The exhibition, jointly organized by the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Azerbaijan National Museum of Art, features over 40 items from the museum’s collection restored under Natig Safarov’s leadership, along with photos and information illustrating their condition before and after restoration. It also includes the artist’s own paintings.

Among the exhibition’s highlights are 17th–19th-century icons, “Portrait of Baroness N.A. Meyendorff” by Valentin Serov and its digital animation, the rarely displayed “Koroghlu” triptych by T. Tagiyev, works by prominent Azerbaijani avant-garde artist Tofiq Javadov, as well as enchanting Azerbaijani carpets, Meissen porcelain, and unique examples of Turkish art.

The exhibition will be open to visitors until September 25, 2025.