At the Museum of the Medici Chapels in Florence, conservation and extraordinary maintenance work on the monumental bronze statues of Ferdinando I and Cosimo II de’ Medici, located in the Chapel of the Princes, has been completed. The museum is part of the Galleria dell’Accademia di Firenze and Musei del Bargello group of the Ministry of Culture. At the same time, the reliquaries from the Medici Crypt underwent a process of rearrangement, reorganization, and safety reinforcement and are now on display in the chapel’s choir in a new configuration.
These operations are part of the conservation and safety program carried out throughout 2026 on the monumental structures, marble surfaces, furnishings, and works housed within the complex, through cleaning, inspection, consolidation, and periodic assessments of their state of preservation.
The Chapel of the Princes, the museum’s monumental Baroque heart, was conceived based on an idea by Cosimo I de’ Medici as a place dedicated to the glorification of the grand ducal branch of the dynasty. The six side walls are clad in polychrome marble and semi-precious stones and house the large commemorative sarcophagi of the sovereigns, above which are niches intended for their monumental gilded bronze effigies. However, the project remained unfinished, and only the statues of Ferdinand I—who founded the chapel in 1603—and his son Cosimo II were actually completed.
The work was entrusted to Pietro Tacca, Giambologna’s successor as grand ducal sculptor, who worked on the two bronzes between 1626 and 1634. The statue of Cosimo II was completed in 1631, while that of Ferdinando I, which had remained unfinished, was completed in 1646 by Pietro’s son, Ferdinando Tacca. Standing over three meters tall, the two figures depict the grand dukes in ceremonial attire and the insignia of their rank: sword, grand ducal crown, scepter, and rich cloaks, characterized by embossed fabrics and enhanced by gilding.
The conservation work was carried out by Dimitrios Zikos with the support of the SCULPSIT Foundation in Basel, through Art Bonus, a program promoted by the Ministry of Culture to encourage patronage in support of public cultural heritage.
The statue of Ferdinand I underwent dust removal and selective surface cleaning, including treatment of the previous protective layers. In some areas, it was necessary to use controlled steam jets to remove deposits embedded in the more recent waxy patinas. The crown was temporarily removed to allow for uniform cleaning; this process also revealed a slight loosening of the head’s anchoring system, which was subsequently secured. Upon completion, a new waxy protective coating was applied.
Examinations conducted using ultraviolet light also revealed the differing nature of the protective treatments present on the surfaces. Several small samples were collected and sent for laboratory analysis to gain a deeper understanding of the materials used in previous interventions and to guide conservation efforts.
For Cosimo II, which had already undergone restoration in 2015, the work focused on dust removal and surface inspection. The condition of the existing protective coating did not require a new application. In a limited area affected by alloy degradation, however, corrosion products were removed, and a localized protective treatment was applied. The removal of deposits and the degraded protective coating also made it possible to once again reveal the traces of gilding that selectively decorate the mozzetta.
The project also involved the reliquaries from the Medici Crypt. Before their transfer, they underwent an assessment of their state of preservation, dust removal, monitoring, and minor reattachment of unstable parts. Today, they are on display in three of the original display cases previously located in the crypt. The new layout was developed by revising the previous exhibition design, with the aim of offering a more cohesive interpretation of the collection as a whole. Their placement in the chapel’s apse also creates a new visual relationship between the objects associated with dynastic devotion and the monumental space dedicated to the celebration of the Medici family.
Finally, the work on the bronzes and the rearrangement of the reliquaries are part of the ongoing efforts to preserve the heritage of the Museum of the Medici Chapels, which over the course of the year has also included cenotaphs, marble cladding, display cases, furnishings, and other areas of the complex, as part of the conservation and enhancement initiatives promoted by the Galleria dell’Accademia in Florence and the Bargello Museums.
“Working on works of such significance means fully assuming responsibility for their preservation and their transmission to future generations,” explained GAMB General Director Andreina Contessa. “The restoration of the bronzes of Ferdinand I and Cosimo II restores vitality and clarity to two masterpieces that are an integral part of the monumental identity of the Chapel of the Princes. They also serve as a shining example of the positive and tangible impact that the Art Bonus has on museum conservation, and we are grateful to those who made this support possible. At the same time, the rearrangement of the reliquaries allows us to more coherently reconnect the relationship between the works, the dynastic history of the Medici, and one of the most extraordinary spaces in our cultural heritage. This is the direction we intend to pursue: rigorous preservation, grounded in knowledge, capable of translating into informed and lasting enhancement.”
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| Medici Chapels: The Bronzes of Ferdinand I and Cosimo II Have Been Restored |
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