A fourteenth-century fresco depicting the Madonna del Latte has returned to public view in Florence following a major restoration.
The work, Madonna del Latte with Child between Saints John the Baptist and Bartholomew, is once again visible in the Church of Sant’Ambrogio. Restorer Cristina Napolitano carried out the intervention under the supervision of the Soprintendenza ABAP of Florence. The non-profit foundation Friends of Florence funded the project.
Conservators removed decades of overpainting, soot and surface deposits. They also treated structural damage and deteriorated stucco. The intervention revealed the fresco’s original colour harmony and fine detailing, typical of late Gothic Florence.
Art historians attribute the painting to the Master of the Rinuccini Chapel. Scholar Luciano Bellosi identified the artist in 1973 as Matteo di Pacino, active between 1359 and 1374 and trained in the circle of Orcagna. The latest conservation has allowed closer comparison with other works linked to the artist. Experts point to the refined modelling of faces and the subtle use of light in the Virgin’s mantle.
Complex conservation history
The fresco has a complex conservation history. Workers rediscovered it in 1839 after centuries of concealment. It underwent several restorations and, around 1960, specialists detached it from the wall and mounted it on a panel. The recent work aimed to improve legibility without altering the original structure.
Friends of Florence president Simonetta Brandolini d’Adda said the foundation was proud to return a key piece of Florence’s fourteenth-century heritage to the community. She thanked the parish of Sant’Ambrogio and San Giuseppe, the Soprintendenza and art historian Claudio Paolini for their support.
Paolini said the project preserves an important example of local devotional art. Parish priest Don Daniele Rossi highlighted the theological meaning of the Madonna del Latte. He said the image links human nourishment to the mystery of the Incarnation.
