Urbino, at Ducal Palace the newly restored Vessel of Manuel Notho Paleologus

In Urbino , the Vessel of Manuel Notho Paleologus is once again open to the public. After having been, for several years, in the storage rooms of the Galleria Nazionale delle Marche, and following a delicate restoration, on the occasion of World Day of Greek Language and Culture, it is being re-presented to the public.

It is a silk veil embroidered with gold and silver threads, depicting Manuel, son of Eudocia, praying to the Archangel Michael. On the fabric, also embroidered, is the text of the supplication and the Archangel’s response in Greek. The banner, likely donated to the Abbey of S. Croce di Fonte Avellana by Cardinal Bessarione (1403-1472) who was its Commendatory Abbot, is linked to the victory that Byzantine Emperor Manuel Notho achieved over the Ottomans in 1411.

The precious artifact, which became part of the collections of the Galleria Nazionale delle Marche in 1915, had been badly fixed on a red cloth support and anchored to a wooden panel that had deformed over the years in a previous restoration. The metal parts showed widespread oxidation and detachment while the support was now proving inadequate. Today’s restoration, by Azelia Lombardi, Simona Laurini and Elisa Zonta, replaced the old support with a more suitable one, cleaned the oxidized metal parts and fabric, and consolidated the gaps.

At the conclusion of these interventions, on Wednesday, February 9, 2022, at 4 p.m., the Vessillo of Manuel Notho Paleologus will be presented to the public at the Library Room of the Ducal Palace in Urbino, where it will remain on display until Sunday, February 27. Speakers at the presentation will be Luigi Gallo Director of the Galleria Nazionale delle Marche, Luigi Bravi Lecturer in Classical Philology at the University of Chieti, and Francesca Graziosi Restoration Officer of the Marche Regional Museums Directorate.

Urbino, at Ducal Palace the newly restored Vessel of Manuel Notho Paleologus

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