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The splendid Intercession by Gentile da Fabriano The newly restored Polyptych...
[Susan Glasspool]
Thanks to the expert restoration carried out by the Opificio delle Pietre Dure, the long lost and mysterious Polyptych of the Intercession by Gentile da Fabriano can at last be admired by the general public. The five wooden tablets were painted by the artist during his stay in Florence between 1420 and 1423. The centre panel shows the scene of the Intercession of Jesus and the Virgin Mary before God, with St. Ludovick of Toulouse and the Resurrection of Lazarus on one side, and Sts. Cosma, Damian, Julian and Bernard on the other.
The painting is first mentioned in 1862 as being housed in the Church of San Niccolò Oltrarno in Florence, though it may not necessarily always have been there. We do know that the polyptych was badly damaged in a fire in 1897. Its restoration, if anything, ruined it even more and therefore, as nothing more could apparently be done to save it, the polyptych was hidden away in the storerooms of the Pitti Palace, where it remained for decades. The Opificio delle Pietre Dure, which has been working on its restoration since 1995, has managed to recover much of the original aspect of this splendid paintng on wood.
The Polyptych is on display in Palazzo Medici Riccardi thanks to an agreement between the Opificio, directed by Cristina Acidini, and the Province of Florence.
It is the first in a series of masterpieces restored by this splendid laboratory to be presented in the Medici palace. This initiative is included in the various exhibitions promoted by the Province of Florence, with the aim of attracting more visitors to the magnificent Renaissance palace, built in the mid 15th century by Michelozzo.
After this exhibition, the ancient polyptych is due to take part in a monographic show on Gentile da Fabriano at Fabriano, before being replaced in the Church of San Niccolò.
The restored Polyptych of the Intercession
by Gentile da Fabriano
Palazzo Medici Riccardi
Via Cavour, 3
Tel. 055.2760340
Hours: 9am-7pm
Closed on Wednesdays.
Entrance: Euro 4.00 / 2,50
Until April 17th 2006
www.palazzo-medici.it
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http://www.palazzo-medici.it