DECORATIVE ARTS DEPARTMENT

Restoration of the “Sala degli Indirizzi” The Room of the Tributes

Being restored thanks to the generosity of Mr. Joseph Incaudo

The Room of the Tributes is located in the former Apostolic Library. Leaving the Sistine Chapel, this is the first of twelve rooms which form the spectacular corridor of the old Apostolic Library. This corridor is an essential connection between the most ancient part of the Vatican Palaces and the Belvedere area which houses the Sculpture Museums. In 1837, Pope Gregory XVI placed in this room the collection of Icons and so-called primitive paintings, which are now in the Pinacoteca. However, the name Sala degli Indirizzi was given to this room during the pontificate of Pio XI (1922-1939), who decided to display here the tributes of homage sent to Pope Leo XIII and Saint Pius X by the faithful dioceses throughout the world. Undoubtedly, the Room of the Tributes is very important for its location between the Chapel of Saint Pius V, decorated by Jacopo Zucchi with the scenes from the life of St. Peter, and its antechamber, the Room of the Nozze Aldobrandine” and the Room of the Papyri. Everyday thousands of tourists walk through the Sala degli Indirizzi as they leave the Sistine chapel, thus making its restoration highly visible and important. The room is set off by the stunning beauty of the ceiling frescoed by Andrea Giorgini (doc. 1817-1824) and Filippo Agricola (1795-1857) as well as the value of the precious liturgical objects on display. In 1818, during the pontificate of Pope Pius VII, Giorgini and Agricola decorated the vault and frieze, in accordance to the coat of arms of the Pope, who belonged to the Chiaramonti family, which is located in the centre of the ceiling. Figures of Doctors and Fathers of the Church are depicted in the lunettes with decorated neoclassical frames, and enriched with grotesque motifs. The frieze is decorated with acanthus volutes. In the centre of the Room there are two large granite tables which date back to the pontificate of Gregory XVI (1831-1846). On both sides of the walls there are preciousneoclassic cabinets designed by Raffaele Stern (1774-1820) for the library of Cardinal Zelada (1809-1814). These cabinets contain a rich collection of glass and ivory objects, Roman relics, early Christian relics, church furnishings and liturgical furniture from the treasury of the Sancta Sanctorum, the chapel of the Sanctuary of the Scala Santa at the Lateran, where the most venerated relics were kept in the Middle Ages.

Mr. Joseph Incaudo and his friends pose with Drs. Cornini, Forti, and restorers

Restorer explaining to Mr. Incaudo and his party the ongoing restoration

Series of Four Cabinets with windows located in the Profane Museum

Being restored thanks to the generosity of the California Chapter

The Profane Museum of the Vatican Library was created by Pope Clemens XIII (Rezzonico, 1758-1769) in 1767. The Pope wanted to display here the collection of ancient Etruscan statuettes, ivory objects, pagan relics and ancient medals of the Holy See. This was reason why after the completion of the beautiful XVIII century room, Pope Pius VI (Braschi, 1775-1799) asked the mobiliér Andrea Mimmi (1701-1783) to construct these elegant boiseries with wood originating from Brazil. The entire group was designed by the famous artist Luigi Valadier (1726-1785). The arrangement of the rooms was remodeled by Clement XIII who had the walls covered in marble, with the original ornaments in stucco and paintings on the allegorical fresco of the vault dating from 1768. These three cabinets are finely inlayed and richly decorated in gilt bronze and placed on four legs a cabriole , carved as heads and paws of lions. The cases contain a window, a boiserie, inside where the antique collections of the Museo Profano are displayed. Valadier's involvement is verified in a passage in his Diary of Rome from May 31, 1780, where it speaks of the "Museum of the Medals." that were to go inside the "four most noble cabinets in Brazilian wood in various colors surrounded by gilt metals and crystal at the doors, in which in good symmetry there will remain displayed to the public these ancient monuments." The work was under construction from 1781 until 1797. On October 20, 1781, the Pope visited Valadier's studio to admire the work in progress. In 1783 the cabinet-maker's portion was already finished. The restoration of this project is particularly complicated due to the fact that the cabinets have such material as wood and bronze while the artefacts inside are made of precious stones, glass, ivory and crystal. For this reason the conservation is being carried in diverse studios.