The Courtauld Institute of Art is thrilled to announce that Bank of America Merrill Lynch’s global Art Conservation Project will provide a grant to support the structural restoration of The Courtauld’s Botticelli altarpiece.
The Holy Trinity with Saints Mary Magdalen and John the Baptist (1491-94) by Sandro Botticelli (1445-1510) and his studio is one of the artist’s most significant panels outside Italy, and his only extant altarpiece in the United Kingdom. The altarpiece is a cornerstone amongst the Renaissance works of art in the permanent collection of The Courtauld Gallery, yet it remains relatively unknown to the British public and understudied in the field. This is due in large part to its condition: the painting has not been treated in more than a century, and the composition has become difficult to read through the yellowed varnish and the significant splits and cracks in the panels. There is evidence of efforts to address these issues as early as the sixteenth century, and The Courtauld’s conservation treatment will not only restore the altarpiece to its former glory, but will also look deeper into this work’s fascinating history.
Märit Rausing Director of The Courtauld, Professor Deborah Swallow said: “We are delighted to receive this generous support from Bank of America Merrill Lynch for the structural conservation of Botticelli’s Holy Trinity. This project will ensure that this historical and culturally significant work of art is properly conserved, studied and ultimately celebrated by a wider public of visitors and scholars”.
The altarpiece is on display at The Courtauld Gallery until Monday 15 January 2018 in Room 2 of the first floor, and then the masterpiece will be painstakingly conserved by an international team of experts over more than 36 months. Don’t miss out on your last chance to see Botticelli’s magnificent work before it is taken down for conservation treatment.
Bank of America Merrill Lynch’s global Art Conservation Project (ACP) provides grants to not-for-profit museums to conserve historically or culturally significant works of art, including works that have been designated as national treasures. Since 2010, the firm has provided grants to museums in 30 countries for more than 120 conservation projects across six continents. As a major initiative to help conserve important works of art and cultural treasures across the globe, the bank aims to contribute to the global arts community by strategically choosing works of art to restore that will strengthen public awareness of the arts and gain widespread attention in key cultural markets. For more information, please visit the Art Conservation Project website.