Discovery of 16th-Century Fresco in Duomo di Parma

Beginning in 2004, a restoration project on the Duomo di Parma began to reveal a 16th-century fresco that had been hidden for centuries. This fresco, found within the walls of the cathedral’s crypt, is a depiction of the “Madonna of Graces with the Child and Saints”. The subjects of this piece, though a common theme from 16th-century works, present art historians with an interesting angle. The fresco hosts the coexistence of various art styles, hinting at the hypothesis that it was worked on over a period of time by different artists. An art historian from the university of Parma, Elisabetta Fadda, explains how the work contains similarities to works painted on the walls of chapels near the Duomo di Parma.

The discovery of this fresco coincides with the discovery of many other facts about the Duomo itself. Having gone under numerous transformations throughout its history, the crypt within the Duomo has undergone many changes as well. When the fresco was discovered, it was found underneath a thin wall for protection. Despite this, however, the wall led to moisture build up upon the fresco, making the process of restoration relatively complex.

With the fresco restored, art historians like Elisabetta Fadda anticipate new discoveries related to the Duomo di Parma and its history. Grazia Abbate for La Voce New York records how Elisabetta Fadda shared that this new discovery may lead to a, “firmer knowledge about the commissioners and the artisans who have been engaged for centuries in modifying its layout until today” (La Voce di New York).  Although this fresco may reveal more about the specific history of the Duomo di Parma, it may as well lead to more discoveries regarding the creation of frescoes in this time period more broadly.

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Il Duomo di Parma svela l’affresco del Cinquecento scoperto in una Cripta

-Samantha Wolfe