Reconstructed Griffoni Polyptych reunites in Bologna before final dispersal

The extraordinary Griffoni Polyptych, a Renaissance masterpiece by Francesco del Cossa and Ercole de' Roberti, has been temporarily reassembled at Palazzo Fava in Bologna. The exhibition, curated by Mauro Natale and Cecilia Cavalca, reconstructs the altarpiece originally created for the Floriano Griffoni Chapel in the Basilica of San Petronio. The polyptych was disassembled in the early 18th century due to inheritance debts, and its panels were sold individually. By the 19th century, the work was completely dispersed. Today, after extensive scholarly study, the panels are reunited for the first time in centuries. However, the original monumental wooden frame by Agostino de' Marchi is missing. The exhibition also explores art historical reconstruction methodologies through documents, architectural models, high-resolution photographs, and explanatory texts. After the show, the nine panels will return to their permanent homes: the National Gallery in London, the National Gallery of Art in Washington, the Louvre, Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen in Rotterdam, the Pinacoteca di Brera in Milan, the Vatican Museums, the Fondazione Cini in Venice, the Pinacoteca Nazionale in Ferrara, and Villa Cagnola in Gazzada near Varese. The polyptych exemplifies the Ferrarese School of the 15th century, extensively studied by art historian Roberto Longhi.