Vatican removes salty white film coating Michelangelo’s ‘The Last Judgment’

Michelangelo’s masterpiece, “The Last Judgement,” in the Vatican’s Sistine Chapel, is undergoing a cleaning to remove a chalky white film of salt that has built up over the past 30 years. This film results from the sweat of the 25,000 daily visitors reacting with the fresco’s surface. Restorers are using Japanese rice paper and distilled water to carefully clean the artwork, revealing its vibrant original colors. The cleaning is expected to finish by Easter, and visitors can still see a reproduction of the fresco during the process. This restoration highlights the impact of climate change and human interaction on preserving historical art. The Sistine Chapel, famous for its art commissioned by various popes, requires special scaffolding for this task due to the fresco’s location. QUESTION: How might the preservation of historical artworks like “The Last Judgement” influence future generations’ understanding and appreciation of art and history?