Restoration of Titian’s Transfiguration for the main altar of San Salvador

The painting, depicting the Transfiguration, was conceived for a specific liturgical and devotional function: an ordinary covering of the altarpiece, inserted in a complex mechanism that facilitated its movement, allowing the scenographic unveiling of the precious silver altarpiece placed behind it. This happened – and still happens today – on three particular occasions in the liturgical year – Easter, Christmas and the feast of the Transfiguration, title of San Salvador – and on other extraordinary occasions. The movement mechanism in use until a few months ago, composed of toothed wheels, chains and counterweight, was a remake of the second half of the twentieth century based on previous solutions. It allowed the controlled sliding of Titian’s altarpiece inside the altar structure, favoring, without the need for major maneuvers, the display of the Gothic work behind it.

The restoration project led by the famous restorer Ottorino Nonfarmale which involved the altar and canvas together at the end of the 1990s – work supported at the time by Save Venice – did not directly involve the movement mechanism. The latter, due to a recent malfunction, caused damage to the Titian canvas, making the current conservative intervention necessary.

Save Venice again, in particular thanks to the generous support of Arnold M. Bernstein, allowed the start of the new restoration project, which began in January 2026 and was entrusted to the restorer Valentina Piovan, with the collaboration of Carlotta Dal Santo.

The restoration of Titian’s Transfiguration is the last chapter in a long series of interventions promoted by Save Venice in the church of San Salvador. These include the recent treatment of the Madonna Grand by Girolamo Campagna and the altar of the Virgin of the Rosary, in addition to the numerous interventions carried out in recent decades on works by Alessandro Vittoria, Jacopo Sansovino, Guglielmo dei Grigi, Vittore Carpaccio, Francesco Vecellio, Francesco Fontebasso and many other masters.

Preliminary investigations on the Transfiguration highlighted the widespread presence of a layer of yellowed paint, as well as extensive altered pictorial additions, as well as superficial accumulations of dust and dirt which compromised the readability and chromatic balance of the work. Punctual losses of the paint film were also found. The state of conservation of the fabrics along the edges was particularly critical, and more markedly at the ends of the lower edge, where a serious deterioration attributable to entomological attack was detected, with erosion phenomena, gaps in the support and consequent compromise of the mechanical bond between the canvas and the framing system. The intervention involves a localized consolidation of the damaged areas, the filling of the gaps and a timely pictorial integration, aimed at recovering the aesthetic unity of the work. At the same time, a new frame will be built and the mechanical movement system will be completely redesigned, in order to guarantee optimal safety and conservation conditions over time; these works will be carried out by the Alfier company of Venice. The project is part of Save Venice’s broader commitment to the protection and valorisation of the Venetian artistic heritage, confirming the value of collaboration between local institutions and international realities in safeguarding the city’s masterpieces.