The conservation of Saint Peter Martyr was made possible with funding from an anonymous donor.

The Palazzo Cini Gallery boasts this dramatic depiction of Saint Peter Martyr (Saint Peter of Verona), which was painted by Sienese artist Lorenzo di Pietro, known as Vecchietta, around 1460-1475. Saint Peter Martyr, a thirteenth-century Dominican friar and preacher who was assassinated in 1252, is shown with his typical attributes: a book, the martyr’s palm, and a cleaver in his head. Set within a richly gilded niche, he stands upon a faux marble floor with one foot projecting outward above the inscription SANCTUS PETRUS MARTIRE, as if he is about to emerge from the painting.

The painting is framed by an architectural structure in carved and gilded wood, consisting of two fluted pilasters with Corinthian capitals and a molded frame. The edge of the right pilaster is carved and gilded, while the left one appears completely smooth and devoid of gilding. It is very likely that this panel was the part of a much larger polyptych.

The panel was suffering from several condition problems that stemmed from the deterioration of the materials used in previous conservation attempts in the 1940s and 1970s. Around 1600, the tempera panel was completely overpainted in oil, changing the subject to a depiction of Saint Stephen. The removal of this repainting during a previous treatment resulted in abrasions and losses to the gilding and details of the painted niche in the background. An active infestation of wood-boring insects further threatened the work with irreparable damage if not quickly treated.

Beginning in February 2019, conservator Claudia Vittori first consulted with a team of imaging specialists and scientists to complete a full diagnostic campaign, which provided further insight into the artist’s working methods, the painting’s original composition, and the materials used during previous interventions. The results of this analysis allowed her to determine the best methods for treating the painting, removing detrimental non-original surface residues and the remaining heavy overpainting while protecting the fragile painted layer and restoring the artist’s original details . Panel painting specialist Roberto Saccuman carefully repaired the wooden structural support of the frame and the backing of the panel, ensuring it was safeguarded for many decades to come. Following conservation, the painting was reinstalled in the Palazzo Cini Gallery in January 2020.

For select projects, conservation dossiers in Italian containing limited textual and photographic documentation may be available for consultation by appointment at the Venice office of Save Venice and the Rosand Library & Study Center. For inquiries, please contact us at venice@savevenice.org.

Lorenzo di Pietro, called Vecchietta (c. 1410-1480)
Saint Peter Martyr
c. 1460-1475, tempera and gilding on wood
195 x 113.6 cm

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