A Research Survey into Stucco Decorations and Clay Statues (Part 6)
Since 2021, The Japan Center for International Cooperation in Conservation has been involved in a research survey on stucco decoration and clay statues under the research project “Technology for the Conservation and Restoration of Cultural Heritage” program.
From January 13 to January 18, 2025, we visited Florence to conduct preliminary research on a group of sculptures created by Pietro Francavilla and Giovanni Battista Caccini, Mannerist sculptors of the late Renaissance, and to discuss future research plans with the Opera del Duomo Museum, which holds the collection. These sculptures represent the principal saints of Florence and were created in 1589 to celebrate the wedding of Grand Duke Ferdinand I de’ Medici of Tuscany and Christine of Lorraine. The purpose was to decorate a temporary façade, which was installed on the front of the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore for the one-day celebration. For this reason, the technique of sculpture in plaster was chosen, rather than the marble that was commonly used at the time.
Currently, these sculptures are stored in a room inside the cathedral cupola, but they have deteriorated over time, and research on their structure and the materials used has not progressed sufficiently. In cooperation with the local National Restoration Institute and the Fine Arts Superintendence, we are working to deepen the investigation and promote research that will contribute to future conservation and restoration efforts.