A remarkable work of early Renaissance painting is set to undergo restoration in Florence. Saint Michael the Archangel Defeating the Dragon, created between 1460 and 1465 by Piero del Pollaiolo, will be conserved in a live, in-gallery project at the Museo Stefano Bardini.
The painting depicts the archangel Michael, clad in gleaming tournament armour, as he triumphs over a dragon. Originally commissioned as a processional banner for the Compagnia di San Michele Arcangelo in Arezzo, the work once featured a Crucifixion scene on its reverse, now lost. Carried in annual processions on 8 May and 29 September, the banner was preserved in the company’s church until its sale in 1766. It eventually entered the hands of the celebrated antiquarian Stefano Bardini, who later donated it to the city of Florence.
Image courtesy Friends of Florence
Although long attributed to Antonio del Pollaiolo by Giorgio Vasari, recent scholarship favours Piero del Pollaiolo, Antonio’s younger brother, as the primary author. The painting reflects Piero’s growing reputation as an independent artist with a distinct workshop, capable of producing works such as the Seven Virtues of Florence’s Tribunal of the Mercanzia and the Three Saints Altarpiece originally commissioned for the Cardinal of Portugal’s chapel in San Miniato al Monte.
The composition draws direct inspiration from Antonio’s now-lost canvas of Hercules and the Hydra, once housed in the Medici palace. Here, Saint Michael assumes the same heroic posture as Hercules, but with a sword in hand and wearing an ornate, jewel-encrusted suit of armour, possibly evoking the lost ceremonial armours once produced in Antonio’s goldsmith workshop.
The upcoming restoration, led by Muriel Vervat, aims to resolve complex conservation issues caused by the artwork’s original function as a banner. The canvas suffered structural damage over time, partially stabilised by a historical lining. However, large areas of the painted surface, particularly the sky, are marred by discoloured varnish and uneven retouching. The original deep blues have yellowed with age, while newer patches appear as isolated islands of lighter blue.
A key part of the project will be diagnostic analysis to understand the composition of the paint layers and the source of the sky’s degradation—whether from pigment alteration, binding medium failure, or an underlayer applied by the artist. The project is being carried out in collaboration with the National Research Council (CNR) and other specialists in Florence. Insights from the restoration may also contribute to broader knowledge of Piero del Pollaiolo’s materials and techniques.
Importantly, the painting will remain on public view throughout the restoration process. A special viewing area inside the museum will allow visitors to observe the work as it unfolds.
“We thank the Friends of Florence Foundation once again for their commitment to the art and culture of our city,” said Florence’s culture councillor Giovanni Bettarini. “The €20,000 donation will allow us to restore the painting directly in one of the museum’s rooms, so visitors won’t be deprived of access during the work. In fact, they’ll be able to witness the restoration in real time.”
The restored Saint Michael will stand as a renewed testament to the skill of one of Florence’s often-overlooked Renaissance painters and to the ongoing importance of conservation for understanding the art of the past.
A remarkable work of early Renaissance painting is set to undergo restoration in Florence. Saint Michael the Archangel Defeating the Dragon, created between 1460 and 1465 by Piero del Pollaiolo, will be conserved in a live, in-gallery project at the Museo Stefano Bardini.
The painting depicts the archangel Michael, clad in gleaming tournament armour, as he triumphs over a dragon. Originally commissioned as a processional banner for the Compagnia di San Michele Arcangelo in Arezzo, the work once featured a Crucifixion scene on its reverse, now lost. Carried in annual processions on 8 May and 29 September, the banner was preserved in the company’s church until its sale in 1766. It eventually entered the hands of the celebrated antiquarian Stefano Bardini, who later donated it to the city of Florence.
Although long attributed to Antonio del Pollaiolo by Giorgio Vasari, recent scholarship favours Piero del Pollaiolo, Antonio’s younger brother, as the primary author. The painting reflects Piero’s growing reputation as an independent artist with a distinct workshop, capable of producing works such as the Seven Virtues of Florence’s Tribunal of the Mercanzia and the Three Saints Altarpiece originally commissioned for the Cardinal of Portugal’s chapel in San Miniato al Monte.
The composition draws direct inspiration from Antonio’s now-lost canvas of Hercules and the Hydra, once housed in the Medici palace. Here, Saint Michael assumes the same heroic posture as Hercules, but with a sword in hand and wearing an ornate, jewel-encrusted suit of armour, possibly evoking the lost ceremonial armours once produced in Antonio’s goldsmith workshop.
The upcoming restoration, led by Muriel Vervat, aims to resolve complex conservation issues caused by the artwork’s original function as a banner. The canvas suffered structural damage over time, partially stabilised by a historical lining. However, large areas of the painted surface, particularly the sky, are marred by discoloured varnish and uneven retouching. The original deep blues have yellowed with age, while newer patches appear as isolated islands of lighter blue.
A key part of the project will be diagnostic analysis to understand the composition of the paint layers and the source of the sky’s degradation—whether from pigment alteration, binding medium failure, or an underlayer applied by the artist. The project is being carried out in collaboration with the National Research Council (CNR) and other specialists in Florence. Insights from the restoration may also contribute to broader knowledge of Piero del Pollaiolo’s materials and techniques.
Importantly, the painting will remain on public view throughout the restoration process. A special viewing area inside the museum will allow visitors to observe the work as it unfolds.
“We thank the Friends of Florence Foundation once again for their commitment to the art and culture of our city,” said Florence’s culture councillor Giovanni Bettarini. “The €20,000 donation will allow us to restore the painting directly in one of the museum’s rooms, so visitors won’t be deprived of access during the work. In fact, they’ll be able to witness the restoration in real time.”
The restored Saint Michael will stand as a renewed testament to the skill of one of Florence’s often-overlooked Renaissance painters and to the ongoing importance of conservation for understanding the art of the past.
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