Restoration of 1500s paintings at Santuario del Frassino completed
The restoration of the precious paintings that comprise the artistic heritage of the Santuario del Frassino has been completed. After the works of Farinati and that by Zeno da Verona, the painting of unknown authorship that decorates the Santissimo Sacramento chapel with the subject of Saint Francis receiving the stigmata has also been restored to its former splendor.
An ambitious and complex restoration project, initiated in the late 1980s and completed for the group of paintings decorating the chapels and altars, thanks to the intervention of the Inner Wheel of Peschiera and the Verona side of Lake Garda, with members being the wives of Rotarians from the Verona-Montebaldo and Villafranca clubs.
The restored canvas and its style
The recently restored canvas is believed to date back to the first half of the 1500s, influenced by the highly active Mannerist culture in the Lombard-Veneto region.
«Evidence of this is,” emphasized Dr. Anna Malavolta, official of the Soprintendenza per i beni artistici e storici del Veneto, “the meticulous detail dedicated to the painting of the angels’ skirts beside Saint Francis».
The painting and its historical condition
The painting, located in the Santissimo chapel, opposite the Madonna del Frassino chapel, was adorned with the valuable canvas by Paolo Farinati. It was significantly degraded and damaged, partly due to an old lining.
“Which had caused major problems for the pictorial layer”.
The restoration work and memories
The work to restore it to its original colors and maximum splendor was carried out using new restoration methodologies by Pierpaolo Cristani. He also intervened in the mid-1990s on the Farinati altarpiece located in the third altar on the left of the church, depicting the Virgin with Saints Sebastian, Francesco, and Beato Andrea di Peschiera.
Highlighting the privilege of those who care for the safeguarding of artworks, Cristani emphasized that «keeping them alive is an act of high civilization and a choice for our future».
Ceremonies and testimonies
At the inauguration of the restoration, alongside a large delegation from the Inner Wheel of the Arilicense club, currently presided over by Chiarastella Gobbetti, and the district 206 governor Rita Pedron, were also present the mayor Bruno Dalla Pellegrina, the rector of the Sanctuary Father Oreste Marcato, and Father Edoardo Sacchella, parish priest of Santa Anastasia in Verona.
In his homily, Father Edoardo, referencing the Gospel where Jesus appreciates the widow’s offering, emphasized that even art-related services should be carried out «with heart and sacrifice».
A heartfelt thank you was also expressed by the zone official of the Soprintendenza, who oversaw the work process, «for the continuity of the services that over roughly ten years have resulted in the restoration of seven valuable paintings, including that at the parish church of Peschiera».
