Villa Medici
Villa Medici is a 16th-century Italian villa whose painted interior surfaces — featuring grotesques and lunettes — had been heavily obscured by whitewash applied over centuries. Conservation work involved a full programme of investigation and treatment to recover and stabilise the original paintings.
Material characterisation was carried out using UV imaging, X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectroscopy, and Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. Whitewash removal was performed using ammonium carbonate poultices, and structural stabilisation of the plaster employed grout injections. Pictorial reintegration was carried out using tratteggio and watercolour glazing.
Tratteggio is a conservation reintegration technique using fine, closely spaced parallel lines to fill areas of paint loss. Developed by the Istituto Centrale per il Restauro in Rome, it allows retouched areas to be distinguished from the original at close range while restoring visual coherence at normal viewing distance. All retouching is fully reversible.
Before retouching
After retouching
Full documentation of the assessment, including condition mapping, material analysis, and recommendations for future conservation treatment.