THE RETURN OF THE “WELCOME BACK” MADONNA
San Lorenzo, the church of the Medici family in Florence, has welcomed back a rare 14th century wooden sculpture of a Madonna and Child, known as La Bentornata after a delicate and laborious seven-year restoration carried out by the expert restorers of the Opificio delle Pietre Dure institute of Florence.
The life-sized statue, carved out of a single piece of wood and considered a masterpiece of Medieval sculpture, is the work of Florentine artist Giovanni Fetti. The strange nickname “La Bentornata” which literally means “Welcome Back” does not refer, however, to the lengthy present work that absented the Madonna for seven years from her usual place in the Basilica, but apparently alludes to an earlier episode when the much loved icon was moved to a new site in the church before being returned to her normal stance near the main altar.
The Opificio delle Pietre Dure, which literally means “Workshop of the Semi-Precious Stones” was set up in 1588 by Ferdinando I dè Medici and specialized in inlaid work and mosaics. It is now the world's leading conservation and restoration institute.
Info: Tel. +0039.055.26511 https://opificiodellepietredure.cultura.gov.it