Vasari's ceiling reassembled at Gallerie dell'Accademia in Venice

A painted wooden ceiling by Giorgio Vasari, originally created in 1542 for Ca' Corner Spinelli in Venice, has been reassembled and will be publicly displayed starting August 28, 2024, at the Gallerie dell'Accademia. The ceiling consists of nine panels that were dispersed over centuries. Five panels depict Allegories of Virtues (Charity, Faith, Hope, Justice, Patience), and four show Putti with tablets. The reconstruction relied on 1961 studies by German art historian Jürgen Schulz, based on Vasari's own description. The reassembly process began in 1987 when the Italian State acquired Allegory of Justice, Allegory of Patience, and two Putti for the Gallerie dell'Accademia. In 2002, another Putto and Allegory of Charity came from the Pinacoteca di Brera. In 2013, Venetian Heritage launched a fundraising campaign for Allegory of Faith; in 2016, filmmaker James Ivory, honorary member of the foundation, led another campaign that secured Allegory of Hope in 2017. The ceiling will be installed in a dedicated room along the Palladian loggia, displayed on the ceiling in an immersive environment replicating the original room. The work influenced Tintoretto, Titian, and Veronese, and promoted Mannerist aesthetics. The year 2024 marks the 450th anniversary of Vasari's death.