Returning Art to Its Original Context: The Case of Perugino's Pala dei Decemviri

Fabrizio Federici's editorial for Artribune argues for the value of returning artworks to their original contexts, citing recent examples. The Pala dei Decemviri by Perugino, normally housed in the Pinacoteca Vaticana, has been temporarily reinstalled in the Cappella dei Priori in Perugia until January 26, 2020, complete with its original frame and cimasa from the Galleria Nazionale dell'Umbria. Similarly, ancient sculptures from the Tribuna of Palazzo Grimani in Venice have been returned to the site until May 30, 2021, recreating the original display. Federici notes that Patriarch Giovanni Grimani donated the sculptures to the Venetian Republic in 1587, prioritizing public enjoyment over private collection. The editorial also references former Culture Minister Dario Franceschini's 2015 proposal to move artworks from museum storage back to their places of origin, and his decision to reconstruct the Colosseum's arena. Alfonsina Russo, director of the Parco Archeologico del Colosseo, announced that restoration of the hypogeum structures will conclude by January 2020, after which guidelines for the arena will be developed. Federici cautions that such returns must be handled carefully to avoid erasing critical and collecting history.