The seven-month operation to save a Michelangelo masterpiece
Conservation can be even more time-consuming than creation. Follow Senior Conservator Emma Turner through the painstaking process of stabilizing one of only two known Michelangelo cartoons: the Epifania.
The video documents the extensive scientific and physical effort required to preserve the Epifania cartoon. The project began with scientific analysis in 2006 and involved a meticulous process of removing the back of the artwork to ensure its long-term survival.
The conservation journey spans nearly two decades, concluding with the artwork's final installation at the British Museum in 2025. The scale of the work highlights the immense dedication needed to protect Renaissance masterpieces for future generations.
Source: We took the back off a Michelangelo and it took 7 months | Saving Michelangelo’s Epifania Cartoon
