altarpiece michelangelo made tomb brought back life conservators see pictures update masterpiece 2014676
The Opera del Duomo Museum in Florence has unveiled the newly restored Bandini Pietà, a monumental sculpture Michelangelo carved for his own tomb between 1547 and 1555. The two-year conservation project, funded by the Friends of Florence Foundation, removed centuries of accumulated dust, wax, and plaster residue from the 5,900-pound marble block, which the artist famously left unfinished after discovering flaws in the stone.
This restoration is significant as it marks the first major cleaning of the masterpiece in nearly 470 years, revealing the original white marble and the artist's intricate tool marks. By confirming the presence of pyrite inclusions that caused sparks during carving, the project validates historical accounts by Giorgio Vasari regarding Michelangelo’s frustration with the material, offering deeper insight into the artist's late-career technical challenges and personal spirituality.