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‘Adopt a Statue’ program for Milan’s iconic Duomo restores centuries-old marbles

The Bearded Saint with Book, a 15th-century statue, now sits behind glass at Piazzale Cadorna, FNM's Milan headquarters, on public display as of Feb. 13 and pictured during the 2026 Winter Olympics.
The Veneranda Fabbrica del Duomo launched the Adopt a Statue program in 2020 to recruit donors who fund restorations under loan agreements, building on past campaigns for gargoyles and spires.
Experts accompany donors into Duomo storage facilities to select sculptures that are beautiful and safe to loan, with restoration timeframe lasting one to three months involving surface cleaning or mechanical methods.
Loan agreements must be authorized by Italy's cultural heritage authorities and meet conservation rules, sometimes granted for an initial one-year term and may be renewed, Andrea Gibelli said.
Because construction spanned centuries, the Duomo di Milano's statues, carved by artists from different regions and periods, reflect evolving artistic styles, with marble from the Candoglia quarries linking material to regional heritage.

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‘Adopt a Statue’ program for Milan’s iconic Duomo restores centuries-old marbles

By MARÍA TERESA HERNÁNDEZ MILAN (AP) — A 15th-century statue that once stood outside Milan’s iconic Duomo has found a new home. The Bearded Saint with Book was recently restored under the “Adopt a Statue” program, launched in 2020 by the centuries-old institution that oversees the cathedral’s conservation. As of Feb. 13, it is on display at Piazzale Cadorna, behind a glass window at the headquarters of FNM, a Lombardy-based transport company. Pe…

2 days ago·Baltimore, United States

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