Save Venice is pleased to announce that the conservation of Giovanni Bellini’s Madonna and Child with Saints (Frari Triptych) and its richly carved and gilded frame is now underway at the Basilica di Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari, thanks to the generous support of Merrill Shields and Dr. M. Ray Thomasson. Experienced conservators Giulio Bono and Roberto Saccuman have completed the delicate process of disassembling and moving the 15th-century altarpiece from the sacristy into a temporary restoration laboratory in another part of the church.

The restoration, expected to take up to two years, began by treating of the panel paintings and wooden frame for an infestation of wood-boring insects. Conservators will also focus on consolidating weakened areas, stabilizing the decorative elements, and improving the long-term structural stability of the frame. On panel paintings, they will address small areas of lifting and flaking paint, as well as remove of darkened and oxidized varnishes from past interventions to recover the vibrancy and coherence of Bellini’s masterpiece.

A full-scale photographic reproduction of the painting is on display in the sacristy. We look forward to sharing further updates, videos, and photographs as this project progresses.