The Misericordia Restoration Laboratories

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Set up to tackle the conservation problems that emerged after the 1966 flood, the restoration and diagnostics laboratories of the Gallerie dell’Accademia are a centre of excellence with a fine reputation gained over decades of work safeguarding the heritage of Venice’s and the Veneto region’s state museums and ecclesiastical heritage. Restorations of large canvases are carried out in the room on the first floor.

Both before and during the various phases of the work, the restorers make use of the skills offered by the Scientific Laboratory, whose investigations are aimed at studying the state of conservation and the alterations to the various items, identifying the painting materials and the techniques used by means of non-invasive (IR reflectography, portable X-fluorescence) and micro-invasive analyses of stratigraphic sections and other types of micro-samples (optical microscopy, electron microscopy with microanalysis, FT-IR spectrometry). Diagnostic imaging represents a fundamental support for the choice and development of selective intervention methodologies able to respect the different articles.

With the aim of feeling an active part in the protection and rebirth of Venice, the Venice International Foundation will support the restoration and diagnostic laboratories by contributing to the sets of equipment and scientific instruments used according to needs and priorities, providing state-of-the-art equipment or by financing the presence of highly specialised personnel. A gesture of love for those who, like us, have Venice in their hearts.