Guercino's Masterpiece to Undergo Major Restoration in Reggio Emilia

A major restoration of Guercino's altarpiece 'Cristo Crocifisso con Vergine, Maria Maddalena, Giovanni evangelista e San Prospero' (1624-1625) will take place at the Basilica della Ghiara in Reggio Emilia. The intervention, fully funded by Scuderie del Quirinale, includes an initial 60-day anoxia treatment by M.A.G. Ecologica and subsequent restoration by Cristina Lusvardi, all supervised by the Soprintendenza di Archeologia, belle arti e paesaggio. The work will remain in the basilica during the three-month process, with a life-size photographic replica by Carlo Vannini placed on the altar. Once completed around late October, the painting will travel to Rome for the exhibition 'Guercino e i Ludovisi' at Scuderie del Quirinale (October 30 to January 26), curated by Raffaella Morselli and Caterina Volpi, marking the close of the fourth centenary of Pope Gregory XV Ludovisi's papacy. The basilica, also known as Tempio della Beata Vergine della Ghiara, was built after a reported Marian miracle in 1596 and houses frescoes by Alessandro Tiarini and Luca Ferrari.