Exposed restorations and cutting-edge research on two symbols of the Doge’s Palace in Venice

Privileged entrance of the Doge to his apartments and scenic corridor for welcoming embassies visiting the Palace, the Giants’ Staircase, built at the end of the fifteenth century (1486-1497) based on a design by Antonio Rizzo, is one of the most valuable artefacts of the internal courtyard of the Doge’s Palace and characterizes its Renaissance façade. An extremely delicate artefact because it is mainly composed of crystalline marble, already the subject of two restoration campaigns in the last forty years, the staircase continues to periodically show signs of deterioration, the causes of which are not entirely clear today. The degradation could be linked both to the materials used in previous restoration interventions and to changing environmental and climatic factors. Thus arose the need for a pilot site to analytically investigate the origin of these phenomena and operationally define an effective intervention protocol for future scheduled maintenance.

What is underway in the monumental staircase is therefore a cutting-edge analysis laboratory, which aims to obtain results not only aimed at the restoration of the work in Palazzo Ducale, but also shared with interventions on similar artefacts in the city. The works will last approximately six months and will take place in the mildest season; at the end of the following winter, once the effectiveness has been verified on the sample surfaces, it will be possible to proceed with the planning of the interventions according to the tested methodologies. The diagnostic phase supervised by the Cnr Icmate of Padua will provide, indirectly, useful elements for the interpretation of environmental changes and their impact on the material of the historic building, allowing important comparisons with other sites to be established. The expenditure forecasts for this phase are approximately 96,000.00 euros. The intervention is financed by Save Venice Inc. and the Save Venice–Ets Foundation with the support of The Gritti Palace, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Venice.

Thanks to the laboratory set up along the visit route of the Palazzo Ducale, just before the Sala del Maggior Consiglio, in the so-called Liagò, visitors can witness the restoration of the canvas The Rape of Europa, a masterpiece by Paolo Veronese. The intervention takes place inside an open-plan laboratory with the possibility of closely observing the work of the restorers and the different phases of a highly complex operation. A rare opportunity to discover behind the scenes of artistic heritage conservation and understand the techniques used to preserve a work of exceptional value.

The intervention currently underway is aimed at removing the paints applied during the 1971 restoration, which are now altered and responsible for the opaqueness of the pictorial surface. The cleaning will allow us to recover the brilliance of Veronese’s color palette and re-establish the correct chromatic balance of the work. During the six months of open construction, the pictorial integration of the gaps and the application of the final varnish will follow, which is essential to guarantee correct protection of the surface and full readability of the painting. The restoration was financed by Save Venice Inc. with the generous contribution of Rebecca Nemser.