This conservation operation is the most significant since the restoration completed in 1994
Michelangelo’s fresco “The Last Judgment” began undergoing “deep cleaning” in the Sistine Chapel on Monday to remove accumulated dust and particles, the first major intervention in three decades.
According to the official statement from the Vatican Museums, the restoration work should last three months and aims to eliminate a “white fog” caused by the accumulation of microparticles carried in the air.
This film of dirt is the direct result of the high flow of visitors, which exceeds six million people per year, requiring constant monitoring of humidity and temperature levels inside the space.
Despite the intervention, the Sistine Chapel will remain open to the public throughout the process, although the view of the imposing fresco located behind the altar will be partially obstructed by scaffolding.
This conservation operation is the most significant since the restoration completed in 1994, and is considered an essential proactive measure to protect the integrity of the plaster and the original colors of the Renaissance work.
“The Last Judgment” was painted by Michelangelo decades after the chapel’s famous ceiling was completed at the request of Pope Julius II, and continues to be the center of attention in the building that hosts papal conclaves, including the one that recently elected Pope Leo XIV.
The Sistine Chapel, named in honor of Pope Sixtus IV, remains one of the world’s greatest artistic and religious treasures.
