Raphael Frescos Near Completion

As visitors ooh and aah at the vivid hues revealed by the cleaning of Michelangelo's frescoed ceiling in the Sistine Chapel, some of the greatest art work of a fellow Renaissance giant has been quietly restored to glory a few rooms away. Now, nearly 30 years after work began, the restoration of Raphael's frescoes in the rooms named after him in the Vatican Museums is approaching completion. Restorers said in recent interviews that their work in the Raphael Stanzas has brought insights into how the artist worked, from mistakes he made in mixing plaster to how he transferred his exquisite designs from small pieces of paper to the sprawling walls of papal apartments. They also found a few surprises, including a remnant of a 500-year-old lunch, and a tantalizing hand print on the wall, although it may never be known if it is the artist's. The Vatican Museums declined to release a photo of the Raphael rooms restored thus far. A family from New York donated the approximately US $500,000 needed for the restoration. The Vatican declined to identify the family. (For full source and full article click the Headline). Irish Art