$125K Painting Is On The Move Again In Belleville

BELLEVILLE, NJ — A valuable painting that caused a kerfuffle in Belleville last spring may soon be on the move again.

Earlier this month, the Belleville Historical Society agreed to loan “Landscape of Belleville” by Thomas Natt – which was last appraised at $125,000 – to the Zimmerli Art Gallery at Rutgers University for five years.

According to the society’s president, Michael Perrone, the agreement has the approval of David Hatch, a Belleville native who moved to Connecticut years ago.

Hatch said that he found the 200-year-old painting in the basement of his family's home when he was 12. After his family realized its significance, they decided to donate it to the local historical society, which restored it and loaned it to the Belleville Public Library in 1963 for display.

But after learning that the painting had been moved to the office of Mayor Michael Melham, Hatch – with the support of the historical society – demanded that it be returned to the library.

Melham called the resulting controversy a “manufactured crisis,” and noted that the library trustee board approved the decision to temporarily move the painting due to a damaged roof and leaking windows.

• See related article: $125K Artwork Moved To Belleville Mayor's Office, Anger Ensues

In a letter to the Belleville town manager, Perrone said the Rutgers gallery has professional security, a fire sprinkler system and climate control, “all important features which the Belleville Public Library lacks.”

Meanwhile, the Zimmerli Art Gallery has agreed to create a high-resolution copy of the artwork, which the historical society will then loan to the local library, Perrone said.

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