ONE of two Canaletto paintings owned by the Bowes museum was packed up this week to travel to the Fundazione Cini in Venice for a major international exhibition.

The picture was painted in Venice in the early 1730s by the artist Giovanni Antonnio Canal, known as Canaletto. It is one of his early works and arguably one of his best.

It depicts a royal barge, known as the Bucintoro, returning to the quay in front of the Doge's palace after the annual ceremony of the wedding of the sea on Ascension Day.

The museum's Friends were invited to watch as paintings conservator Mr Richard Hobson prepared the picture for its journey during a behind-the-scenes tour of the museum.

The techniques used for transporting works of art are rather more sophisticated than those used in the 1800s, when founders John and Josephine Bowes shipped about 12,000 items from around Europe to form the museum's collection in Barnard Castle.

"Before we can send any painting away, we have to take it out of its mount and check its condition," said Mr Hobson. "It is particularly important that the canvas is correctly tensioned and protected.

"The lorry that transports it is fitted with humidity and temperature controls so that the picture is not subjected to environmental fluctuations, and a specially designed suspension system protects the precious cargo from uneven road surfaces."

The museum responds to many international requests for loans. The famous El Greco, The Tears of St Peter, will travel to Vienna in the autumn. Several other paintings are away at present.

Marketing officer, Dr Anne Allen, said it was a sign of the importance of the collections that they were so much in demand, helping to get the museum more recognition abroad.

The demand is balanced by keeping other major works available for visitors to the museum. In return, the Bowes hopes to be able to attract equivalent works of art from galleries around the world. Her comments echoed those of the new director, Mr Adrian Jenkins, in last week's D&S Times.

The main obstacle is the prohibitive cost of insurance. National museums receive government indemnity for such loans, but though the Bowes has designated status, it does not qualify for this indemnity.

In the meantime, visitors this summer will be treated to a rare glimpse of some of the Bowes' own treasures, including many that have never previously been on display. Hidden Treasures opens on Saturday April 7