As of December 10, 2025, the open-site restoration of the large painting The Departure of Elisabeth Farnese from Parma after her wedding kicks off in the Fasti Farnesiani gallery room of the Royal Palace of Caserta. This work represents, in the imagery of the exhibition Queens. Plots of Culture and Diplomacy between Naples and Europe (on view from December 20, 2025 to April 20, 2026 in the Grand Gallery), the point of origin of the dynasty that would lead from Elisabeth to the Bourbons of Italy.
The monumental canvas more than two meters high by more than six meters wide by Ilario Giacinto Mercanti, known as Spolverini, depicts the moment when Elisabeth Farnese leaves Parma after her marriage to Philip V of Spain. It is a scene of refined ceremonial, reflecting the echo of a decisive historical passage: the proxy wedding, celebrated on September 16, 1714 in the city cathedral, was one of the most significant diplomatic acts of the 18th century. From that union a new European order was born, one that returned Italian territories to Spain and offered the last descendant of the Farnese family the opportunity to guide political choices with the firmness and foresight that made her an extraordinarily important queen. Indeed, she is one of the central figures of the exhibition at the Reggia di Caserta, to whom we owe the enlightened education of Charles of Bourbon.
The painting belongs to the Fasti Farnesiani, a pictorial cycle that recounts the exploits of the lineage and preserves the memory of the royal wedding. Arrived at the Royal Palace of Caserta in 1859, the work had already been transferred to the Kingdom of Naples in 1734 at the behest of Charles of Bourbon, Elizabeth’s son and heir.
The restoration work is supported by Eagle Pictures, which in November used the rooms of the Vanvitellian complex as a set for a U.S. film production. Visitors to the Royal Palace of Caserta will have the opportunity to observe the work of restorers up close. From Dec. 20, the activity will officially become part of the program of in-depth studies related to the exhibition dedicated to the Queens. Visitors to the Royal Apartments will thus be able to watch the delicate stages of restoration live in the Pinacoteca hall during the Museum’s opening hours. After an initial phase of diagnostic analysis, experts will proceed to remove the old repainting, clean the painted surface, reintegrate the gaps, and refunctionalize the frame and support.
The work will be carried out by the company MAGISTRI s.r.l.
Pictured is a detail of the painting.
 |
| At the Royal Palace of Caserta the open-site restoration of a monumental painting from the Farnese Fasti |
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.
