The Restorations of the Sta. Maria Maggiore Mosaics
Suzanne Spain
The preceding note by Per Jonas Nordhagen does not take into account the documented history of mosaics Sta. Maria Maggiore. Little has been published on restoration and less nature effect these repairs.' This response to Nordhagen's criticism my studies attempts begin redressing that omission describing, with all possible brevity, archival, documentary, illustrative, other materials which provide evidence for a fifth-century mosaics.2 I will conclude some comments directed towards specific points criticism. most recent extensive repairs nave triumphal arch took place between 1929-1931 19361940, during papacy Pius XI, under direction Biagio Biagetti. His overseer, Giorgio Pianigiani, wrote detailed reports condition in he found panels their repair; are archives Laboratorio Vaticano per il Restauro delle Opere d'Arte.3 also contain Anderson photographs upon Pianigiani made color-keyed notations prior mosaic fresco, ascribed Leo XII, Benedict XIII, Cardinal Pinelli, damage superficial irregularities.4 Plaster casts course repair preserved laboratory. do have written or arch.5 ruinous condition, particularly those left clerestory wall.6 Many were detached from brick, edges lost. noted right had restored previously as well while wall erano pochissimi e quasi tutti piccolissimi. Joshua cycle, example, repaired tesserae, but little attention was paid matching colors. Some cubes painted gold after having placed plaster bed.7 aims Biagetti-Pianigiani conservation artistic integration.8 consolidated removal resetting or, when feasible, cement injections. cleaned then patched, ei her tesserae fresco. It is important because goal integrazione artistica, restorers ried absorb style remaining replace so difference would hardly be oticed. removed sixteenth-century frames panels, revealing original champfered shape border red, white, blue bands. it startling learn 111 pieces repair! two pilasters reconstructed lateral damaged upper reaches first zone. Throughout face arch, patched new tesserae.9 Between 1848 1850 initial steps taken campaign restore nave. records this enterprise kept Rome Archivio di Stato, del Camerlengato, tit. Iv, pte. ii, busta 187. Scaffolding erected project frieze entablature restored, never touched. scaffolding dismantled 1851.10 In 1824, pontificate nave, tribune, loggia initiated. documents 187, No.
Art Bulletin