Galleria Nazionale dell'Umbria opens storage to public for centenary

For its centenary, the Galleria Nazionale dell'Umbria (GNU) in Perugia, directed by Marco Pierini, has opened its storage to the public with an exhibition running until Epiphany. Of 103 works on display, 39 underwent restoration. Notable restored pieces include Dono Doni's large panel of the Immaculate Conception, Lippo Vanni's Madonna and Child (revealing 19th-century additions by Luigi Carattoli), Domenico Alfani's Sacra Famiglia (showing Raphael's influence), and a 16th-century terracotta sculpture of Saint Catherine of Alexandria (with recovered polychromy and a hidden prayer). Pierini defends museum storage against sale proposals, calling them a 'boutade' (nonsense), emphasizing that works in storage serve as reserves for loans, study, or await restoration. All restoration used watercolor for integrations and gel for cleaning, ensuring reversibility.