Restoring medieval sculpture before Viollet-le-Duc

CYCLE: Research in Progress
SPEAKER: Laura Cavazzini
DATE: Thursday, October 29, 6:00 PM

Art historians who place the artworks themselves at the center of their research, learning to evaluate them also through their material aspects, sooner or later encounter cases of repairs, additions, or partial reworkings. These interventions often stem from accidental damage or the requirements of a re-installation, sometimes occurring centuries later, but occasionally just decades after the original work's completion.
While the 20th century saw a growing focus on the restoration of ancient marbles during the Early Modern period, allowing for a comprehensive understanding of the integration and restoration of Roman sculpture within 16th, 17th, and 18th-century antiquarian collections, studies dedicated to the restoration of Medieval sculpture have remained sporadic. This is particularly true for the period preceding the approach to heritage protection that emerged in the 19th century, built upon the practical and theoretical foundations of Eugène Viollet-le-Duc.
Laura Cavazzini has initiated a reflection on this ongoing theme, which will be illustrated through a series of specific case studies.

Laura Cavazzini was born in Parma, where she completed her classical studies before moving to Tuscany to continue her education: first at the University of Siena, where she earned her degree, and then at the Scuola Normale Superiore di Pisa for her PhD. She is currently Full Professor of Medieval Art History at the University of Trento.
Her research primarily focuses on Medieval sculpture, the artistic culture of International Gothic, the Tuscan and Northern Renaissance, and the reception of the Middle Ages in the Modern era. She has contributed to exhibitions and conferences on these subjects and has published numerous articles in journals and miscellaneous volumes, as well as the book Il crepuscolo della scultura medievale in Lombardia (Olschki, Florence 2004).