Barbara Jatta on the Future of Museums and Raphael's Tapestries in the Sistine Chapel
Barbara Jatta, director of the Vatican Museums since 2016, discusses the repositioning of Raphael's tapestries in the Sistine Chapel in February 2020, their restoration and display in the Pinacoteca Vaticana's Sala Ottava during the pandemic, and the installation of new frames for three Raphael altarpieces: the Incoronazione, the Madonna di Foligno, and the Trasfigurazione. The project, conceived with the restoration lab and the tapestry department, reenacted the original display of December 26, 1519, when Pope Leo X presented the Flemish-woven tapestries based on Raphael's cartoons of the Acts of the Apostles. Jatta emphasizes the importance of the past for the future, the sacredness of beauty, and the resilience of museums, noting increased young visitors since June 2020. She advises young people to follow their passion and have luck.
Key facts
- Barbara Jatta is the director of the Vatican Museums, born in Rome in 1962.
- Raphael's tapestries were repositioned in the Sistine Chapel in February 2020.
- The tapestries were restored and displayed in the Sala Ottava of the Pinacoteca Vaticana during the pandemic.
- New frames were installed for three Raphael altarpieces: Incoronazione, Madonna di Foligno, and Trasfigurazione.
- The original display of the tapestries occurred on December 26, 1519, in the presence of Raphael and Pope Leo X.
- The tapestries were woven in Flanders from Raphael's designs depicting the Acts of the Apostles.
- Jatta believes museums will become more complex but people will return, especially younger generations.
- Since June 2020, museums have seen increased attendance by younger visitors.
- Jatta cites the Sistine Chapel, Pio Clementino Museum, and the legacy of Winckelmann as inspirations.
- She advises following one's passion and having luck for a career in the arts.
Entities
Artists
- Barbara Jatta
- Raphael
- Pope Leo X
- Johann Joachim Winckelmann
Institutions
- Vatican Museums
- Sistine Chapel
- Pinacoteca Vaticana
- Museo Pio Clementino
Locations
- Rome
- Italy
- Flanders
- Vatican City