The restoration project at the Louvre has unveiled previously hidden colors in Cimabue's La Maestà, changing perceptions of the artist's innovations prior to Giotto.
"The risk was that this non-original material, when lifting up, would take with it some part of the original painting," says Thomas Bohl, highlighting the need for careful conservation.
Cimabue's vivid cobalt blue Virgin cloak and gleaming pink of an apostle's robe uncover a dazzling palette, showcasing innovative practices that contrast his role before Giotto.
The restoration, first initiated after discovering lifting gesso, has not only preserved the La Maestà but also challenged the assumption that Cimabue was less innovative than Giotto.
Collection
[
|
...
]