Santa Maria Novella, restored the lunettes of the Great Cloister damaged by the 1966 flood

The restoration of the six lunettes on the east side of the Chiostro grande of Santa Maria Novella, including the five portraits of Dominican monks located in the cross vault under the capitals between the lunettes, and the first corner lunette of the south side, has been completed: the works had been heavily damaged during the 1966 flood, and now also enjoy new lighting.

The restoration was made possible thanks to private financing: in fact, it was entirely financed by the Rigoni di Asiago company together with Fondaco srl, a company in the field of consulting and strategy in communication associated with the recovery and restoration of works of art and cultural heritage. The intervention is part of the Florence I Care project, which the City of Florence has been carrying out since 2011 and which consists of seeking sponsors to finance restoration work on the city’s cultural heritage.

Built from 1340 to 1360, iI Chiostro grande is part of the convent of Santa Maria Novella and is the largest cloister in the city. In the years 1562-1592, architect Giulio Parigi, commissioned by Eleonora da Toledo, wife of Grand Duke Cosimo I, was responsible for the fresco decoration, commissioning the work from various artists of the time such as Bernardino Poccetti, Santi di Tito, Ludovico Cigoli and Alessandro Allori. The cycle of frescoes, spread over fifty-two lunettes, is considered among the most significant examples of Counter-Reformation painting in terms of breadth, iconographic program and didactic clarity of the stories. The cycle illustrates the life of St. Dominic and other Dominican saints. The corner bays depict scenes from the life of Christ. Since 1920 the Cloister was part of the Carabinieri Marshals and Brigadiers School, but since 2016 it has belonged to the Museum of Santa Maria Novella.

The 1966 Florence flood caused significant conservation damage to the paintings: in an attempt to save them, they were subjected to detachment from the original wall, subsequent re-attachment to a new support, and relocation in situ. The removal cuts are still visible, and all the scenes are quite depleted of matter due to the tearing operation, although it is likely that without this type of intervention the lunettes would have come down to us in a much worse condition. In spite of several restoration interventions, air currents and dust flows meant that the pictorial surfaces were particularly prone to the accumulation of pollutants that seeped into the paintings resulting in the loss of color and inconsistent and poorly diffused plasterwork. As is often the case with detached frescoes, dark stains can be seen that are due to animate glue that was not completely removed on the painted surface that caused an attack of microorganisms.

The restoration work included consolidation of the pictorial surface, cleaning from deposits of dirt, pollutants and inconsistent materials, removal of old plasterwork, and the application of new counter-cracks and plaster falls. The work, under the direction of the technical and fine arts services of Palazzo Vecchio, was carried out by the Consorzio Edile Restauratori Società Cooperativa a responsabilità limitata of Florence. The work was completed by the placement of a new lighting system installed by Enel X.

“The Santa Maria Novella complex has been at the center of a vast project for several years to enhance and recover spaces to be used primarily for museum expansion,” stresses Culture Councillor Tommaso Sacchi, “it is no coincidence that it is here that the new Museum of the Italian Language will be born. Today we are bringing these lunettes of the Chiostro Grande back to their ancient splendor, a painstaking work for which we thank Rigoni di Asiago who believed in the restoration and which takes on even more value at such a difficult and uncertain time for the entire cultural sector. Although our museums are closed at this time, we do not cease to work for their care and protection, waiting to return to welcome visitors safely again as soon as possible.”

“With this Corporate Social Responsibility initiative,” says Andrea Rigoni, CEO of Rigoni di Asiago, "we have continued the journey The Nature in the Heart of ..., which began in 2015 in Milan, and then transited to Venice, Rome and Matera, under the banner of beauty and the enhancement of historical-artistic heritage. I am particularly pleased that the name of the company is linked from here on to this special place, the heart of the city and the scene of events in which illustrious men have passed through, among whom I like to remember the great Galileo Galilei. I am pleased to share this moment with you with the hope that it may represent a sign of positivity that starts from the Capital of the Renaissance to help merge entrepreneurial logics with those of culture so that they translate into mutual strength. I would like to thank the City of Florence, the Soprintendenza Belle Arti e Paesaggio of Florence and Fondaco Italia for making it possible for us to participate in the initiative, which not only allowed us to consolidate our relationship with art, culture and education, but also allowed us to involve Florence."

“We are very pleased to have completed our fourth intervention in Florence,” adds Enrico Bressan, president of Fondaco Italia, "and to consolidate our collaboration with the City. I would like to emphasize the sensitivity, renewed with great enthusiasm even in such a particular period, of Rigoni di Asiago, a protagonist of a serious and important commitment that year after year is building an increasingly appreciated"Grand Tour“ in favor of Italian art. For us, who have been operating for sixteen years in this sector and have gradually seen the art-business relationship expand, it is a source of great satisfaction because it means that we are on the right track; companies can use this tool to consolidate their foundations and plan their development and at the same time play a high-profile social role for the benefit of all. So thank you to Rigoni di Asiago, the restorers and the managers of the Municipality and the Superintendency.”

Santa Maria Novella, restored the lunettes of the Great Cloister damaged by the 1966 flood

Warning: the translation into English of the original Italian article was created using automatic tools. We undertake to review all articles, but we do not guarantee the total absence of inaccuracies in the translation due to the program. You can find the original by clicking on the ITA button. If you find any mistake,please contact us.