The "Madonna di Citerna"
The “Madonna di Citerna” is a religious devotional work made by Donatello in his youthful period in the early 15th century. It is a life-size polychrome terracotta sculpture measuring 114 cm, with a wide base of 34 cm and a depth of 38 cm, intricate and detailed, especially in the folds of the dress. The ceramic had lost some of its original color, having been painted several times over the centuries during various restorations due to fading colors or changes in artistic tastes. In 2004 the work was discovered inside the church of San Francesco during a study on Renaissance terracotta works and attributed to Donatello, in 2010 after a careful restoration at the Opificio delle Pietre dure, the original coloring was brought to light and now it can be admired in the sacristy of the Museum-Church of San Francesco.
the story
The “Madonna di Citerna” is undoubtedly one of the most fascinating and sensational discoveries in the field of art in recent years, revealing a masterpiece of undeniable artistic and cultural value to the public. In 2004 was released the book “Madonna di Citerna, Terracotta inedita di Donatello”, dedicated to the statue found inside the Church of San Francesco. The book resulted from a scientific study by Laura Ciferri as part of research aimed at establishing a corpus of heavy terracotta artifacts in Umbria during the 15th and 16th centuries. The publication includes important essays by Alfredo Bellanti, Corrado Fratini, and Giancarlo Gentilini, confirming both the attribution to Donatello and the dating, which places its creation during his youthful period, making it a virtually unique work of its kind. In fact, according to experts, there is only one other Madonna in terracotta created by Donatello.
before the
Restoration
The restoration of Donatello’s Madonna of Citerna has uncovered a polychrome terracotta sculpture masterpiece from the early 15th century. The recovery of the original image provides the opportunity for a new interpretation of the work and a deeper knowledge of the artist’s stylistic and technical characteristics.
The restoration removed excessive layers of paint and restored the ancient colors, giving dignity to a work that previously struggled to show its superior modeling. The restoration process was complex due to the presence of three alternating layers of different types of varnish with the ancient layer, requiring precise removal without underestimating the quality of the centuries-old layers. The restoration began after targeted surveys and characterizations of the varnish layer, followed by a controlled removal of the layers above the original level to reveal the aesthetic values of the work while respecting the natural aging of the materials. The best method for removing invasive paint over the original varnish layer was a selective, differentiated, and controlled chemical-physical cleaning, layer by layer.
INFO
Saturdays/Sundays and public holidays, 10.00-12.00 and 15.00-18.00.
On the remaining weekdays, the Madonna di Donatello can only be visited by appointment.
For information and reservations: 075 8554705 museoduomocdc@tiscali.it – 338 8817814 – 339 8445619
Website: http://donatelloaciterna.it/
gallery
Si ringrazia per l’autorizzazione alle riprese la Direzione Centrale degli affari dei culti e per l’amministrazione del Fondo Edifici di
Culto del Ministero dell’Interno, proprietaria della Chiesa di San Francesco a Citerna.
