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Help recapture the original luminosity of the gold and the original painting techniques of the altarpiece
The extraordinary importance of the work and the natural aging of the materials used in prior restorations, in addition to the residue of dirt that remains underneath the protective varnishes, have made it necessary to revisit the 1976 restoration, in order to return the work to its original pictorial techniques, which include small brushstrokes and precious engravings that were done freehand during the gilding process.
Although the original painted surface is in many spots abraded by careless old restorations, after the ongoing cleaning, the work will regain a unique radiance that will once again show the extraordinary hand of the painter. The current restoration also aims to rebuild the frame and the other lost structural elements, which are crucial to allow the public to see the work’s original monumental quality, within the context of the vast central nave of Santa Maria della Pieve.
A virtual example of an altarpiece reconstruction can be seen in the Polyptych of Sassetta di Borgo San Sepolcro.