The Monumental Restoration of the Hall of Constantine — The Largest of the Raphael Rooms — is Unveiled at the Vatican Museums
A masterpiece restored to its original splendor
“A restoration that has revealed many technical, stylistic, and methodological insights from one of the great Renaissance projects. A restoration that must be called ‘exemplary,’ as it reflects the ongoing work of the vast machine that is the Vatican Museums in the fields of research, conservation, and restoration.
” These were the words of Dr. Barbara Jatta, Director of the Vatican Museums and Cultural Heritage of the Governorate of Vatican City State, during the press presentation of the recently restored Hall of Constantine, the largest of the frescoed spaces in the Raphael Rooms of the Apostolic Palace.
The event took place on the morning of Thursday, June 26, at the Vatican Museums. In addition to the Director, attendees included Fabrizio Biferali, Curator of the Department of 15th–16th Century Art, Fabio Piacentini and Francesca Persegati, chief restorers of the Paintings and Wooden Materials Restoration Laboratory and Fabio Morresi, Head of the Scientific Research Department.
“We owe a debt of gratitude,” Dr. Jatta added, “to Fabio Piacentini, the master restorer who coordinated a team of skilled restoration professionals on this broad and varied project,” followed by “the excellent Francesca Persegati, head of the Vatican Museums’ Paintings Restoration Laboratory—the oldest restoration laboratory in the Vatican.” She emphasized, “These were years of hard work, coordinating a team of restorers in much the same way as that original team of painters once did.”
Dr. Jatta also highlighted that “none of this would have been possible without the generous support of the Patrons of the Arts in the Vatican Museums—major supporters of this long and complex restoration—especially the New York Chapter and the Carlson Estate,” along with “the extensive efforts by the Presidency and General Secretariat of the Governorate of Vatican City State, in synergy with the Directorate of the Vatican Museums and Cultural Heritage of the smallest state in the world.”
The contribution of the Scientific Research Department, led by Fabio Morresi, was also crucial. It carried out an in-depth analysis campaign using state of the art technologies such as 1900-nanometer reflectography, false-color infrared imaging, UV fluorescence, and targeted chemical analysis. The entire project was also documented through a 3D model created with laser scanning—now considered a benchmark for the integrated study of large-scale artistic decorations.
The completion of this historic restoration in the Hall of Constantine marks the culmination of a ten-year project. It began in March 2015 and concluded in December 2024. In doing so, this Renaissance masterpiece—born from the genius of Raphael, his workshop, and the artists who continued his work—has been returned to scholars and visitors alike.
The Hall, named in honor of Emperor Constantine—who granted Christians freedom of worship through the Edict of Milan in 313 AD—was decorated in several phases, beginning under Pope Leo X and continuing through the papacy of Sixtus V. It features Raphael’s final works: two oil-on-wall figures, Comitas and Iustitia.
