VENICE.- Painted for the altar dedicated to Archangel Raphael in the church of San Marziale, Titian's Tobias and the Archangel Raphael is now displayed in the nearby church of Madonna dell'Orto. The painting has long been the subject of much debate among critics regarding its exact dating and even authorship. Thanks to conservation treatment, closer observation and new research are shedding light on these fascinating issues.
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In 2023, Save Venice funded a maintenance treatment of the work to remove surface dust and debris, together with comprehensive diagnostic studies that uncovered several compositional changes made the artist. Following this, the painting was featured in the exhibition Tiziano 1508. Agli esordi di una luminosa carriera at the Gallerie dell’Accademia in Venice, where it was displayed alongside an earlier work by Titian of the same subject from the Accademia’s collection.
After the exhibition, Tobias and the Archangel Raphael was transferred to the laboratory of restorer Enrica Colombini, where it underwent a meticulous conservation treatment thanks to the generous support of Donna Malin. Guided by the results of the scientific investigations, conservators removed discolored retouching and residues from earlier interventions that were partially obscuring Titian’s original work. Small areas of losses to the painted surface were then integrated using reversible conservation colors, and a final protective varnish was applied.
The results of the conservation and the new discoveries brought to light thanks to this treatment will be illustrated by conservators Enrica Colombini, Elisa Galante, and Sofia Marchesin and Save Venice Senior Researcher Gabriele Matino at a Research & Restoration Roundtable in the Rosand Library & Study Center at Save Venice on Thursday, February 6, 2025.
Room of the Four Doors Campaign Update
Great progress continues in Save Venice’s campaign for the Room of the Four Doors in Venice’s Palazzo Ducale thanks to the expertise of conservators Valentina Piovan and the Co.New.Tech firm, the technical office of the Fondazione Musei Civici di Venezia, and officials from the Venice branch of the Ministry of Culture.
Beginning in early 2024, the restoration team carried out a comprehensive diagnostic survey to gain valuable insights about the composition of the ceiling frescoes, stucco decoration, the four marble portals, and uncover more details about the ongoing conservation issues they have faced. This scientific analyses has guided the conservators in their vital work to treat a multitude of issues.
The removal of centuries of grime in addition to the chromatically altered overpainting and oxidized varnishes previously applied in 20th-century interventions has revealed the vibrancy of the ceiling frescoes and polychromy of the four marble portals, as well as the brilliance of the marble sculptures that adorn each doorway. The ceiling’s intricate stucco sculptures and decoration are now being carefully consolidated to repair cracks and damage caused by the oxidation of their underlying metal frameworks, which were weakened by centuries of elevated humidity levels and past infiltrations of rainwater from the roof.
Another key component of treatment is the stabilization of the vaulted ceiling’s support structure and cracked plaster, which had been at risk of detaching and collapsing. Over the next several months, conservators will also continue to conduct pictorial integrations to restore the visual coherence of the ceiling's decorative scheme. Work is expected be completed over the summer of 2025.
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