A Lunette with an Allegory of the Restoration of the Colosseum in the Chiaramonti Gallery
Artist: Philipp Veit (1793–1877)
Date: 1818
Materials: Painting on a wall
Adopted By: The California Chapter, The Northwest Chapter
Description
HIGH PRIORITY PROJECTS
Designed by Antonio Canova, the Chiaramonti Gallery is one of the most significant spaces in the Vatican Museums. It combines the presentation of ancient artefacts and splendid classical sculptures in recognition of Pope Pius VII Chiaramonti for safeguarding the Church’s cultural heritage and recovering works looted by Napoleon. Canova himself commissioned a group of contemporary painters to decorate the lunettes that mark the sequence of the bays. The first lunette, depicting the Allegory of the restoration of the Colosseum, was painted by Philipp Veit, a German artist and member of the Nazarene group, active in Rome in the early 19th century. The restoration will involve not only the elegant painting itself, but also the restoration of the wall’s color scheme to recreate the original colors of the Long Gallery, characterized by delicate teal and travertine frames. Newly restored sculptures will also be located in the gallery. This restoration work is preparatory to the development of an overall project for the restoration of the entire Chiaramonti Gallery.
Total Cost: € 141.020,00 ($ 165,924.13)
State of Preservation
The lunette shows possible plaster detachments at various levels, which are a result of the critical state of this structure and have led to significant static issues in the past. The lunette has deposits and alterations that must be identified and removed after consolidating any decohesion of the pictorial texture. The wall has layers of repainting, numerous fillings and patches, and possible plaster detachments.
Restoration Procedures
Lunette:
- Dusting
- Fixing decohesion of pictorial film
- Cleaning, also with the aid of gels with supporting and extractive properties
- Plaster consolidation
- Filling plaster gaps
- Aesthetic presentation
- Removal of paint in certain areas to identify the original color scheme, and the quickest and most respectful method to remove various repainting layers and facilitate new painting with methodologies and materials compatible with the original technique
- Plaster consolidation
- New repainting
- Study of the other lunettes, their execution technique and state of conservation, and drafting of a restoration project for the entire gallery
Detail
Artist: Philipp Veit (1793–1877)
Date: 1818
Materials: Painting on a wall
museum:
Chiaramonti MuseumLaboratories:
Painting & WoodWishbook year: 2026
A Lunette with an Allegory of the Restoration of the Colosseum in the Chiaramonti Gallery
Details
Adopted by: The California Chapter, The Northwest Chapter
Artist: Philipp Veit (1793–1877)
Date: 1818
Materials: Painting on a wall
Museum: Chiaramonti Museum
Laboratory: Painting & Wood
Wishbook year: 2026
Description
HIGH PRIORITY PROJECTS
Designed by Antonio Canova, the Chiaramonti Gallery is one of the most significant spaces in the Vatican Museums. It combines the presentation of ancient artefacts and splendid classical sculptures in recognition of Pope Pius VII Chiaramonti for safeguarding the Church’s cultural heritage and recovering works looted by Napoleon. Canova himself commissioned a group of contemporary painters to decorate the lunettes that mark the sequence of the bays. The first lunette, depicting the Allegory of the restoration of the Colosseum, was painted by Philipp Veit, a German artist and member of the Nazarene group, active in Rome in the early 19th century. The restoration will involve not only the elegant painting itself, but also the restoration of the wall’s color scheme to recreate the original colors of the Long Gallery, characterized by delicate teal and travertine frames. Newly restored sculptures will also be located in the gallery. This restoration work is preparatory to the development of an overall project for the restoration of the entire Chiaramonti Gallery.
Total Cost: € 141.020,00 ($ 165,924.13)
State of Preservation
The lunette shows possible plaster detachments at various levels, which are a result of the critical state of this structure and have led to significant static issues in the past. The lunette has deposits and alterations that must be identified and removed after consolidating any decohesion of the pictorial texture. The wall has layers of repainting, numerous fillings and patches, and possible plaster detachments.
Restoration Procedures
Lunette:
- Dusting
- Fixing decohesion of pictorial film
- Cleaning, also with the aid of gels with supporting and extractive properties
- Plaster consolidation
- Filling plaster gaps
- Aesthetic presentation
- Removal of paint in certain areas to identify the original color scheme, and the quickest and most respectful method to remove various repainting layers and facilitate new painting with methodologies and materials compatible with the original technique
- Plaster consolidation
- New repainting
- Study of the other lunettes, their execution technique and state of conservation, and drafting of a restoration project for the entire gallery
© 2026 Patrons of the Arts
in the Vatican Museums
Vatican Museums V-00120,
Vatican City State (Europe)
+39 0669864499