Medieval fresco 'discovery' in Rome turns out to be known since 1965

A medieval fresco at the Basilica of Santi Bonifacio e Alessio on the Aventine Hill in Rome was reported as a new discovery by ANSA, with exclusive interviews to art historian Claudia Viggiani and restorer Susanna Sarmati. The fresco, dating to the mid-12th century, was found in a cavity of the original counter-facade, remarkably well-preserved. Rome mayor Virginia Raggi congratulated the team on Instagram. However, Superintendent Francesco Prosperetti stated the fresco was already known since 2005, when Viggiani herself had discovered it. The work was documented in a 2005 essay by Viggiani in the journal 'Arte medioevale', and further studied by Serena Romano in 2011. The fresco was originally found in 1965 by the Genio Civile during bell tower consolidation, studied by restorer Pittà and art historian Luigi Salerno, then rediscovered in 2005 and subsequently restored. Prosperetti expressed embarrassment that Viggiani, who works for the Soprintendenza, made exclusive claims without coordination. Viggiani deleted tweets and blocked users who pointed out the earlier discovery.