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Giovanni Raspini restores the “scandalous painting” by Orazio Porta

Giovanni Raspini restores the “scandalous painting” by Orazio Porta

Events

| 26 November 2021

On Friday 26 November, at the old church of Sant’Agostino in Monte San Savino – nestled in the heart of Tuscany's Val di Chiana – the restored artwork painted by Orazio Porta in 1581 was unveiled. The restoration was overseen by Doctors Alessandra Gorgoni and Nadia Innocentini with funding from Giovanni Raspini.

Orazio Porta, born in Monte San Savino in 1540, was a student of Giorgio Vasari and worked as his assistant on artworks in the Palazzo Vecchio and for Pope Pius V in Rome. He also created several religious works in the Arezzo area.

The painting, named the Coronation of the Virgin with St Lucia and St Caterina d’Alessandria, was created for the Augustinian monks. However, it became the object of religious censure due to the depiction of the two saints’ cleavages, and the gaudiness of their jewellery and its removal was eventually requested, although it never took place.

The painting remained unrestored for centuries, which led to the need for a careful restoration by specialised professionals to prevent the loss of the artistic and cultural heritage of the painting.

“I’m strongly attached to my region and have always tried to safeguard its artistic and cultural heritage by contributing to restoration work and initiatives to promote the area.”

Giovanni Raspini

The mayor of Monte San Savino, Margherita Gilda Scarpellini, His Excellency Archbishop Riccardo Fontana, Prefect Maddalena De Luca, Quaestor Dario Sallustio, the art historian Giuliano Centrodi, and, of course, the two restorers Alessandra Gorgoni and Nadia Innocentini attended the event to unveil the artwork.

Entrez dans l’univers de Giovanni Raspini

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