Lamentation with Saints

A masterwork at the San Marco Museum, Florence, AWA’s first-ever restoration. The conservation of Nelli’s large-scale fresco-like work on display in San Marco’s large refectory was a monumental job for, as the painting was being examined, live woodworms were found in the wood panel and needed to be eliminated by inserting gas into bubble wrap that sealed the painting, before restoration could begin. It took one month to kill the woodworms. A laboratory analysis of the painting showed various layers, suggesting that Nelli's preparatory drawing might lie beneath the surface. Restorers were able carry out tests using infrared reflectography.  Other challenges in the restoration, in addition to the need for careful cleaning, stemmed from the fact that there were several areas where the painting’s pictorial layer had curled. Oil on canvas, dimensions: 288 x 192 cm.