Conserving the Giovanni di Paolo Altarpiece

Follow the two-year-long conservation treatment of the “Madonna and Child with Saints“ altarpiece (1454) by Giovanni di Paolo, which hadn’t been treated since it came into The Met collection in 1932. Watch the conservators as they remove discolored varnish, old overpaints, overgildings, and reconstructions, retouch paint losses and ingild abrasions, and replace missing and damaged frame elements. The treated altarpiece is now on view in Gallery 624 in the recently reopened European Paintings galleries. Featuring: Michael Gallagher, Sherman Fairchild Chairman of Paintings Conservation, and Cynthia Moyer, Associate Conservator, Paintings Conservation, and Evan Read, Manager of Technical Documentation, Paintings Conservation. Featured artwork: Giovanni di Paolo (Giovanni di Paolo di Grazia) (Italian, Siena 1398–1482 Siena). Madonna and Child with Saints, 1454. Tempera on wood, gold ground, 82 3/4 x 25 7/8 in. (210.2 x 65.7 cm); left panels 70 7/8 x 16 7/8 in. (180 x 42.9 cm), 70 7/8 x 16 3/4 in. (180 x 42.5 cm); right panels 70 7/8 x 16 7/8 in. (180 x 42.9 cm), 70 7/8 x 16 3/4 in. (180 x 42.5 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, The Friedsam Collection, Bequest of Michael Friedsam, 1931 () Supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies Credits: Managing Producer: Kate Farrell Producer: Sarah Cowan Editor: Alex Guns Camera: Alex Guns and Stephanie Wuertz Additional Camera: Wayne de la Roche Production Coordinator: Bryan Martin Production Assistant: Anna Oehlkers Original Music: Austin Fisher © 2021 The Metropolitan Museum of Art