Leonardo da Vinci’s unfinished painting representing the Adoration of the Magi, normally resident at the Uffizi Gallery, has been undergoing analysis and restoration since late 2012. The painting was begun in 1481 for the monastery of San Donato a Scopeto and was abandoned with the artist left for Milan. The first phase of restoration involves a careful cleaning of the dirty surface, and is now three-quarters complete.
In the meantime, the results of the cleaning have been presented to the press. Marco Ciatti, Superintendant of the Opificio delle Pietre Dure, highlighted three important outcomes of this first phase of the work. First, the overall conservation of the painting has been improved, because the dirt and varnish on the surface was causing restriction and cracking. Second, the legibility of the painting is vastly increased, allowing us to see details with the naked eye previously only visible in xray and other technical photography. And third, thanks to this legibility, we have additional insight into the artist’s mental process during the creation of this painting.
The carefully cleaned painting now exhibits greater three-dimensional perception, and there is a hint of blue sky – the first layer of colour – that truly changes the way it looks. It is possible that the background was purposefully darkened with varnish at some point to create a more uniform look. Without this layer, we can see greater depth in the staircase, and can also make out some lightly sketched figures at work on the steps, essentially early modern construction workers! The modeling on the famed horses in the background is also exceptional, much more rounded and elaborate than we could see before.
A second phase of restoration will address consolidation of the wooden support. The painting’s return to the museum is planned for the end of 2015, when room number 15 will be reorganized to accommodate it.
