Michelangelo’s “Last Judgment,” a Renaissance masterpiece in the Vatican’s Sistine Chapel that depicts the Second Coming of Jesus, is undergoing its first restoration in 30 years. Maintenance began this Monday (2).
Announced last July, the cleaning intervention will last three months, and aims to remove decades of accumulated particles that obscured the colors of the work of art. The information was released by the Vatican in a press release.
“The new intervention will allow the removal of these deposits and the consequent recovery of the chromatic and luminous quality desired by Michelangelo”, says the statement.
The — famous for being the place where the world’s Catholic cardinals vote to elect new popes — receives millions of visitors every year as part of the Vatican Museums.
The site will remain open during the restoration, but the fresco, which shows Jesus delivering his final judgment on humanity, will be covered by scaffolding. Despite this, visitors will be able to see a high-definition reproduction of the artwork.
Other frescoes, such as “The Creation of Adam”, by Michelangelo, can also be observed by visitors at the site.
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Continuous Monitoring
The paintings in the Magna Chapel have been, over the years, the subject of constant investigation and monitoring activities by the Vatican Museums, necessary to evaluate the high daily flow of visitors.
The preventive maintenance program for the entire decorative set was initiated by the Restoration Laboratory to systematically remove deposits accumulated over time.
Until now, such operations were carried out annually, at night, with the help of mobile platforms, and involved the walls with Michelangean lunettes, the series of Pontiffs and the great scenes of the 15th century.
