Vatican Museums Launch Major Restoration of Raphael’s Famous Frescoes
The Vatican Museums launched a five-year restoration of Raphael’s Loggias fresco cycle this week, deploying more than 20 experts to conserve the 65-meter (nearly 215-foot) corridor in the Apostolic Palace. Painted by Raphael between 1517 and 1519 for Pope Leo X, the Loggias comprise 13 bays with Old and New Testament scenes and ornate decoration inspired by Roman motifs. Conservators report paint deterioration linked to the microclimate created by 19th-century glass windows that were originally installed to protect the frescoes; new windows will be added to stabilize conditions. Deputy head restorer Angela Cerreta said the team will secure unstable paint, clean using fiber lasers, and retouch with color-matched methods that keep restorations visually distinct, with funding including $5.5 million from the World Monuments Fund’s “Legacy of Raphael: The Vatican and Beyond,” supported by a $14.3 million donation from the Stephen A. Schwarzman Foundation.
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