The Soprintendenza of Arezzo is responsible for the local cultural and artistic heritage. Piero della Francesca's paintings represent the greatest inheritance of all. In the early 1980's the frescoes were severely damaged. Thus the Soprintendenza decided to begin a series of deep and comprehensive scientific and historic researches. Their aim was to single out the causes of the fresco detrimental conditions so to be able to find the right technique to restore the painted plaster as well as the building structure itself. The preservation of the masterpiece for future generations was the project real goal.

In 1985 the Soprintendenza of Arezzo began its first survey on the fresco conditions. It turned out to be one of the most advanced and demanding projects of the entire scientific restoration field in Italy and abroad. It was called "Progetto Piero della Francesca".

The restoration has been entirely funded by the Banca Popolare dell'Etruria e del Lazio. The Bank has been the only sponsor to guarantee its funding from the very beginning until the restoration completion.

The "Progetto Piero della Francesca" was created and carried out by the Soprintendenza of Arezzo. Since Piero della Francesca's frescoes were severely damaged and their conditions were getting worse, the project turned out to be the most complex, and comprehensive study ever realized. Restorers needed to find the right technologies to preserve the mural painting. Thus, together with state institutions, and private and public research institutes, they carried out a long preliminary research. Using hi-tech systems, leading scholars and expert technicians succeeded in defining restoration approaches to solve the fresco complex problems.

MAIN EVENTS

1985. Feb. 26

Official presentation of the "Project for Piero della Francesca", in Florence.

1985. Dec. 31

Signing of the first Agreement between the Ministry of Cultural Heritage and the Banca Popolare dell'Etruria e del Lazio, as sole sponsor, to begin work on preliminary research for the Project for Piero della Francesca.

1986. Nov. 3-6

At a convention organized by the Italian National Research Council (C.N.R.), Margherita Lenzini Moriondo and Maurizio Seracini present the first results of analyses performed to determine the state of conservation and deterioration of the frescoes of Piero della Francesca in Arezzo (Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Monumental Complex of San Michele, Rome.)

1989. June 1

In the basement of the Church of San Francesco inauguration of the documentary exhibition on the preliminary diagnostic analyses for the "Legend of the True Cross" and the "Madonna del Parto".

Publication of the catalogue "Un Progetto per Piero della Francesca, Indagini diagnostico conoscitive per la conservazione della Leggenda della Vera Croce e della Madonna del Parto". This is the catalogue from the show of the same name exhibiting the materials and the tables and graphs produced in the course of the preliminary studies of the Project for Piero della Francesca, Alinari, Florence, 1989.

With essays by: John Pope Hennessy, Margherita Moriondo Lenzini, Anna Maria Maetzke, Enzo Ferroni, Antonio Paolucci, Giuseppe A. Centauro, Carla Corsi Miraglia, Francalberto Bernasconi, Maurizio Seracini, Mauro Matteini, Arcangelo Moles, Paolo Bensi, Silvano Lazzeri, Roberto Franchi, Pier Renato Trincherini, Edwin De Pauw, Luciano Marchetti.

1989. June 24

Research seminar of international experts "Un Progetto per Piero della Francesca" held at S. Ignazio in Arezzo concludes with the draft of the program document for the future conservation of the works by Piero.

1990 March 7-10

International convention on Piero : "Piero in Arezzo: il futuro della Leggenda della Vera Croce "

This convention of international experts held in 1990 one year after the research seminar in 1989 was a fundamental opportunity for exchange of ideas among many of the world's most renowned experts on historic and artistic conservation

This great scientific assembly addressed the issues and problems involved in the conservation project and reviewed the results of the preliminary diagnostic studies, establishing the guide lines to be followed in the various sectors of the project, from the environment to the architectonic structures to the painted surfaces.

The Acts of the Convention published in 1993 (Marsilio, Venezia) mark a fundamental moment in the refinement of the methodological approach used in the investigative analyses and the restoration process and provide an account of the state of scientific research in the field of restoration of our artistic heritage of which the cycle of frescoes by Piero represents one of the highest moments.

Atti del Convegno Piero della Francesca ad Arezzo. Problemi di restauro per la conservazione futura,

edited by CENTAURO, G. AND MORIONDO LENZINI, M., Venezia, Marsilia, 1993

Essays by : G. Basile, P. Bensi, G. Biscontin, G. Bonsanti, E. Borsook, G. Centauro, A. Chiarugi, C. Corsi Miraglia, V. Fassina, E. Ferroni, V. Furlan, A. Giovagnoli, A. Giuffrè, M. Guillaud, S. Lazzeri, A.M. Maetzke, C. Maltese, M. Marabelli, L. Marchetti, S. Massa, M. Matteini, A. Paolucci, P. Rocchi, G. Rotondi Terminiello, A. G. Stevan, L. Tintori.

Publication of Antonio Paolucci Piero della Francesca. Catalogo completo", with an appendix "Un progetto per Piero della Francesca" by Margherita Moriondo Lenzini, Cantini, Firenze 1990.

Publication of the historical study of the frescoes in the choir of San Francesco by Giuseppe A. Centauro

"Dipinti murali di Piero della Francesca. La Basilica di S. Francesco ad Arezzo: indagini su sette secoli ", Electa, Milano 1990

Contains : "Repertorio cronologico degli episodi ( 1211 / 1989), Materiali e documenti ",with 659 documents.

1990. Aug. 10

"Programma di intervento conservativo di risanamento degli affreschi di Piero della Francesca in S. Francesco ad Arezzo". (produced by the S.B.A.A.A.S and edited by restorer S. Lazzeri).

The program was presented to the Ministry of Cultural Heritage after approval by the Commission on Artistic and Historical Preservation. The project includes a technical report with annotations on pictorial technique, a description of the state of conservation of the areas with the highest risk of deterioration and a proposed intervention for the conservation of the cycle of the Legend of the True Cross.

1990. Oct.-Dec.

During the autumn and winter of 1990 a scaffolding is installed for the restoration of the left side of the choir. The structure is six levels high which correspond to the scaffolding originally used by Piero della Franesca.

1990. Dic. 31

The Superintendence of Arezzo, as project director, is joined for the execution of the restoration by the Opificio delle Pietre Dure of Florence, with initial consulting from the Istituto Centrale per il Restauro in Rome.

1991. Jan.

Activation of the operative system for the "Archival Documentation System " (S.D.A.), among the activities promoted by the Superintendence B.A.A.A.S. of Arezzo.

1991. Feb. 2

Extension of the collaborative relationship between the Superintendence of Arezzo and the Opificio delle Pietre Dure of Florence and initiation of sample restoration areas for refinement of the methodology.

1991. May 15

Activation of the monitoring system for the static state of the choir.

1991. June

The preliminary studies having been completed the project moves into the next phase with the execution of the first interventions on high risk areas as documented by the Work Site Journal. .

1991. June 17-22.

The Prize "Media Save Art 91" awarded to the Banca Popolare del'Etruria e del Lazio, , official sponsor of the "Project for Piero della Francesca".

The award ceremony, held at the Monumental complex of San Michele in Rome, was organized by ICCROM (International Study Center for Cultural Preservation), the Presidency of the Council of Ministers, IRI Group, under the patronage of UNESCO and the Presidency of the Italian Republic.

The presentation of the award was held at the Ministry of Historic and Artistic Preservation, Monumental Complex of San Michele, Rome.

1991. Dec. 19

Press conference announcing the initiation of the second phase of the restoration of the Legend of the True Cross held at the Ministry of Cultural Heritage in Rome.

Participants included Francesco Sisinni (Director General of the Ministry of Cultural Heritage), Margherita Moriondo Lenzini (Coordinator fo the Project for Piero della Francesca), Anna Maria Maetzke (Superintendent B.A.A.A.S of Arezzo), giorgio Bonsanti (Superintrendent O.P.D. of Florence), Evelina Borea (Director I.C.R. of Rome). Nell’occasione della conferenza viene presentato il progetto S.D.A. e vengono redatte alcune relazioni di sintesi delle attività nei vari ambiti disciplinari.

1992 Jan. 31

Visit to the restoration work site by Antonio Paolucci (Superintendent B.A.S. Firenze, Prato, Pistoia) and Domenico Velentini (Superintendent B.A.A. Firenze, Prato, Pisotia).

1992. Feb. 19

Visit to the restoration work site by the prof. Federico Zeri

1992. Mar. 16

At Monterchi the Madonna del Parto fresco is moved from the cemetery chapel and restoration, conducted by Guido Botticelli under the direction of Anna Maria Maetzke, begins. Restoration is carried out so as to allow visits by the public with a special auxiliary section documenting the preliminary studies.

1992. April 4

Signing of the agreement between the Banca Popolare dell'Etruria e del Lazio and the Fondazione Piero della Francesca. For the occasion a commemorative medal was minted in celebration of the five hundredth anniversary of the death of Piero della Francesca.

1992. Ott. 4-7

International convention held in Urbino, "Città e corte nell’Italia di Piero della Francesca"

Acts of the Convention published in 1996 edited by Claudio Cieri Via, Venezia, Marsilio.

Lecture by G. Renzi (O.F.M. Conv.)on the theological reading of the Piero frescoes in Arezzo and Monterchi on the occasion of the 500th anniversary of the death of Piero della Francesca. (Basilica of San Francesco, Arezzo).

1992. Oct. 8-12.

International convention "Piero della Francesca tra arte e scienza" (Arezzo-Sansepolcro). ). The acts of the convention were published in 1996, edited by Marisa Dalai Emiliani and Valter Curzi, Venezia, Marsilio. At the convention Anna Maria Maetzke and Giorgio Bonsanti illustrate the method of restoration followed in the first interventions of conservation for the cycle of The Legend of the True Cross in Arezzo

1993. Feb. 9

Activation of the monitoring system of the thermo-hygrometric parameters in the choir of the church of San Francesco.

1993. Feb. 13

One day convention "Il Museo domani" ( Head Office, BPEL, Arezzo ).

An encounter with Cultural Heritage Minister Alberto Ronchey to discuss museum policy in Italy and the future of the Project for Piero della Francesca. Participants included Hon. Giuliano Amato, President of the council of Ministers, Prof. Francesco Sisinni, Director General of the Ministry of Cultural Heritage.

1993. May 23

In the Basilica of San Francesco in Arezzo Pope John Paul II pays homage to the tomb of Blessed Benedetto Sinigardi and meets with young people from the diocese of Arezzo. The event is broadcast in World Vision.

1993. June 16

The Minister of Cultural Heritage, having heard the favorable opinion of the Commissions for Artistic Heritage and Architectural Heritage meeting in joint session, authorizes extension of the restoration of the Legend of the True Cross to the entire painted surface.

1993. July, 10

Inauguration of the exhibition, "Piero della Francesca. La Madonna del Parto. Restauro e iconografia", under the auspices of the Superintendence BAAAS of Arezzo in collaboration with the Comune di Monterchi. The occasion marks the preentation of the work restored by G. Botticelli under the direction of A.M. Maetzke. Catalogue published by Marsilio, Venezia.

1993 Sept. 28

Signing of the agreement between the Ministry of Cultural Heritage and the Banca Popolare dell'Etruria e del Lazio for the restoration of the left wall of the choir with the cycle of the Legend of the True Cross.

1994. June