from The New York Times
Michelangelo's 'David' Gets Spruced Up for His 500th Birthday
go to article

from The Guardian
Thin grey veil lifted from Michelangelo's David, as restorer confounds critics
go to article

from The New Scientist
Michelangelo’s David revealed after clean-up
go to article

Finally, the saga of the cleaning of Michelangelo's David reaches a conclusion of sorts - in good time to mark the 500th anniversary of the placement of the sculpture. It is also interesting to note that one of the criteria held up to mark the success of the restoration project is: "a restoration that does not look like a restoration". If that be the case, then what does it look like? Or is the remark symptomatic of a certain "fear" of criticisms, even of well-intended restoration efforts?

from The Telegraph -
Michelangelo's David set for move
go to article

An update on the future plans for the iconic sculpture which nicely paints the dilemma between preservation and access. Also see earlier posts here.
.

from BBC News
Air to 'guard Michelangelo David'
go to article

It does seems like an over-reaction to what would otherwise be considered as a natural and fairly harmless surface dirt deposit. Extreme measures such as this certainly exemplifies the "darker" side of conservation concerns - fears built on partial information.

from The Seattle Post Intelligencer
Restorers: 'David' statue looking better
go to article

An update on the (controversial) cleaning of Michelangelo's marble sculpture of David in time for the planned celebration of its 500th anniversary of its unveiling. More information can also be found on the web-site of the Friends of Florence, who is one of the key sponsors of this restoration project. Reports of the actual examination and on-going conservation treatment of the sculpture are available. More resources and images can also be found at the official web-site for the restoration of Michelangelo's famed sculpture, under the auspice of the Galleria dell Accademia.

from CeROArt -
Taking the wrong path: learning from oversights, misconceptions, failures and mistakes in conservation
go to article

Using examples from wall painting conservation in Denmark, Isabella Brajer takes a courageous dive into a topic that seldom gets its deserved discussion in conservation work - mistakes and failures.

"Undoubtedly, mistakes have been made in the conservation profession, as in many others. Controversies, such as those involving the cleaning of Michelangelo’s frescoes in the Sistine Chapel, or his marble sculpture David, show that a wide range of positions exists, critical of both the technical and theoretical aspects of conservation. It would be a shame if such controversies would discourage conservators from sharing their difficulties and erroneous decisions with colleagues."

It must surely take a strong woman or man to admit as much.