The fresco of the Madonna della Pura, one of the most important devotional images in Florence’s Basilica of Santa Maria Novella, has returned to public view following a restoration funded by Friends of Florence.
The conservation work was carried out by Andrea Vigna of Habilis Srl, with Paola Viviani and Stefania Franceschini, under the supervision of the Florence Superintendency for Archaeology, Fine Arts and Landscape.
The intervention has improved the fresco’s conservation and legibility, while deepening understanding of the original painting techniques. Surface deposits, altered 20th-century overpainting and previous restoration materials were removed or reduced, revealing details and colours that had long been obscured.
“We are particularly pleased to have supported the restoration of the Madonna della Pura, an image deeply rooted in the devotional history of Santa Maria Novella and the memory of Florence,” said Simonetta Brandolini d’Adda, president of Friends of Florence, thanking donors William and Jeanne Bice for their support.
About the Madonna della Pura fresco
The fresco is closely linked to the Dominican promotion of Marian devotion in Florence. According to tradition, the image originally decorated the tomb of the Della Luna family in the cemetery beside the basilica. Popular veneration grew after a reputed miracle in which children claimed to have seen the Virgin Mary, who asked them to clear the image of dust and cobwebs.
The resulting devotion led to the construction of an altar and, later, a chapel commissioned by the Ricasoli family. Completed in 1476, the chapel incorporated the fresco within an elegant architectural setting designed by Giovanni di Bertino.
Detached from its original location in the 1950s, the fresco had accumulated dirt, abrasions, discoloured retouching and intrusive repairs over the decades.
The restoration has now restored a more faithful reading of the image, allowing visitors to once again appreciate its artistic quality and centuries-old devotional significance.
