After a painstaking, five-year restoration process at Florence’s Opificio delle Pietre Dure, “The Adoration of the Magi” by Leonardo da Vinci (1481-1482) is back in its rightful place at the Uffizi Gallery, the centerpiece of an exhibition titled “Leonardo da Vinci’s Enchanted Cosmos: the Restored Adoration of the Magi.” In November 2011, the large wooden panel was moved to the restoration workshop in Fortezza da Basso, where it was subjected to numerous, detailed diagnostic tests. Finally, in October 2012, it was decided to proceed with the restoration.
This was no easy decision. The Adoration of the Magi is a complex work. In the first place, because it is unfinished: the sky’s blue, for instance, is barely hinted at. Leonardo drew directly on the panel instead of on paper, as can be seen by the great number of changes made in the course of execution, which have become visible once more after cleaning: some drawings actually overlap.
