The Vatican has revealed an exciting discovery: a painting by the renowned Mannerist artist El Greco, titled The Redeemer, dating back to the late 1500s. This significant find was made by restorers Alessandra Zarelli and Paolo Violini during a conservation project. While working on the piece, they uncovered that an unknown artist had previously overpainted the original work.
This small oil painting on board was gifted to Pope Paul VI in 1967 by Spanish official José María Sánchez de Muniaín Gil and has since been displayed in the Pope's apartment at the Apostolic Palace. Notably, The Redeemer had not undergone any restoration or scientific analysis until now, according to Zarelli.
Upon removing the overpaint, the conservation team confirmed the painting's authenticity as an original El Greco. "All the data, when compared to other works by the artist, affirmed that this piece is entirely genuine," Zarelli and the team's director, Fabio Morresi, stated in their press release.
Further examination, including high-resolution imaging, unveiled two underlying compositions linked to existing El Greco works: one resembling his Apparition of the Virgin to Saint Lawrence (circa 1580) and another related to Saint Dominic in Adoration of the Crucifix (circa 1590). These findings offer valuable insights into El Greco's artistic techniques and creative process.
The restored painting is currently featured in the exhibition titled El Greco in the Mirror: Two Paintings in Dialogue at the Pontifical Villa of Castel Gandolfo, alongside a Saint Francis painting created two decades earlier. According to a press release for the exhibition, The Redeemer was initially attributed to El Greco in 1970. It is now believed to have been reinterpreted in the 1960s, likely by a forger with access to a deteriorating original.
This remarkable discovery not only enriches the Vatican's collection but also enhances our understanding of El Greco's legacy and the art world's appreciation for his unique style. As we continue to uncover hidden treasures from the past, the future of art restoration and historical scholarship appears bright.
