After a detailled restoration
operation lasting around six months, the
polychrome terracotta statue of Apollo
of Veio, one of the masterpieces of Etruscan
art from the end of the 6th century B.C.,
kept at the National Etruscan Museum of
Villa Giulia, has been unveiled to the
general public. Before the restoration
began, a series of scientific studies
was carried out, aimed at gaining a much
deeper technical knowledge of the work.
As well as photogrammetry, endoscopic
analysis was also carried out which, along
with the radiography, cast light on the
brass support prop used in the re-composition
of the statue in 1919; the X-ray fluorescence,
designed to recognise the typology of
the colour, revealed the sole presence
of mineral oxides. It has also been established
that the statue was baked in just one
solution, confirming the great technical
and creative capacity of the coroplastic
artist. The restoration, carried out at
a specially created site within the monumental
complex of Villa Giulia, in the frescoed
Zodiac room at the lower level of the
Ninfeo, allowed people visiting the museum
to follow the different phases of the
operation through protective glass. Then
for several weeks, on the initiative of
the editorial staff of Culturalweb, the
on-line cultural heritage newspaper, the
discrete eye of a high-resolution network
camera “investigated” the
restoration work on a daily basis.
This restoration, sponsored
by FIT (The Italian Tobacconists Federation
for Art and Culture) will be followed
next year by the restoration of the statue
of the hero Hercules. After this, all
the Veio statues will be back on display
in a new and much bigger exhibition area
at the National Etruscan Museum of Villa
Giulia, dedicated to the antiquities of
the important Etruscan area.
Francesca BoitaniDirector of the National Etruscan
Museum of Villa Giulia and director of
the restoration Anna Maria Moretti
Director for the Archaeological Treasures
of Southern Etruria Tuccio Sante Guido
Restorer Maurizio DianaScientific
Studies Marco SalaExternal
Relations for the National Etruscan Museum
of Villa Giulia Sabrina ConsoliniFIT
Events and sponsorship
Watch the picture gallery made during the backstage of the realization of Folco Quilici's documentary
15/07/2004
TG SAT2000 - 19.40 Duration: 0.02.02
Rome: The restored Apollo of Veio will
be displayed from tomorrow in the Etruscan
Museum of Villa Giulia. Interview with
Boitani (Museum Director)
Presenter: - Report by: Vito First
part Second
part Third
part
