Assisi, Cimabue's Majesty will be restored. Ferrari will fund the intervention

The Majesty of Assisi, the masterpiece by Cimabue (Cenni di Pepo; Florence, c. 1240 - Pisa, 1302) inside the Lower Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi, will be restored. Twenty-five years after the earthquake that struck Umbria in 1997 and caused extensive damage to the Basilica, and fifty years after the last restoration that the work underwent, a new intervention is needed, which is considered particularly urgent: restorers will carry out a maintenance and revision, and related update, of the last intervention, as explained today by the chief restorer of the Basilica of St. Francis in Assisi, Sergio Fusetti. Supporting the restoration will be Ferrari, the automaker of the prancing horse. “This intervention,” Fusetti pointed out, “will allow for a general improvement in the state of conservation of the fresco for years to come.”

“The intervention,” explained the chief restorer, “will be preceded by a careful and thorough imaging investigation using the most modern methodologies. Once the diagnostic phase has been completed, the work will focus mainly on removing atmospheric particle deposits and inconsistent layers of dirt that obscure the colors, and resolving the problems of adhesion of the paint film, gilding residues as well as the adherence of the plaster layer to the masonry. These interventions will serve to restore one of Cimabue’s most important works to its former glory.”

The consservative project on the fresco of the Madonna and Child, Angels and St. Francis will be overseen by a team from Tecnireco led by Fusetti himself, in agreement with the Soprintendenza Archeologia, Belle Arti e Paesaggio dell’Umbria. Work will begin next January and is expected to last about a year. Datable to around 1285-1290, the work is located in the northern transept of the lower basilica and is famous because it shows one of the oldest portraits of St. Francis, which according to tradition was executed based on the indications of those who had personally known him.

“Ferrari carries the name of Italy all over the world,” comments Benedetto Vigna, Ferrari’s CEO. “An exceptional country, famous for its millennia-old artistic heritage. For Ferrari, which belongs to a world of luxury ever closer to that of art and culture, it is important to make a contribution to preserving a masterpiece that tells, the value of this uniqueness. And which passes on to us the teaching of humility of St. Francis. I am a great believer in corporate social responsibility, which, through collaboration between public and private entities, can lead to relevant results. Examples of this are our projects in the field of education, as well as health or environmental protection. And, with the project announced today with the friars of the Sacred Convent in Assisi, in the field of cultural heritage conservation.”

“The fresco depicting the Virgin Mary Enthroned with Child, Angels and St. Francis by Cimabue will finally return to its ancient splendor thanks to the contribution of Ferrari, which has decided to take care of this important painting in the history of world art,” said the Custos of the Sacred Convent of Assisi, Friar Marco Moroni, of the Order of Friars Minor Conventual. “The work also conveys to us the best known and probably the oldest and most realistic portrait of St. Francis, of the man whom Thomas of Celano described as ’of rather small mediocre stature, head regular and round, face somewhat oval and outstretched, forehead flat and small, eyes black, of normal size and full of simplicity’ (FF 465). Thanks to Ferrari who decided to support and enhance the Italian art of which we are proud custodians. For us friars it is an honor to be able to care for and enhance, thanks to the contribution of benefactors and ordinary citizens, this priceless asset that is the Basilica of St. Francis and to present it to the visitors of today and tomorrow.”

Assisi, Cimabue's Majesty will be restored. Ferrari will fund the intervention

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.