Restoration and Renewal: Art is Reborn at the Royal Palace of Naples – The Throne Gives Way to the Historic Tapestry and Restoration of the Grand Staircase Continues

# The Return to Splendor of the Royal Palace of Naples

At the Royal Palace of Naples, restoration work continues unabated, aiming to restore the ancient royal residence to its former splendor. This morning marked a major event with the departure of the throne for the La Venaria Reale Conservation and Restoration Center for a major restoration project. At the same time, a prestigious tapestry depicting "Fire" was repositioned in the First Antechamber, following a meticulous restoration process.

### The Restoration of the Bourbon Throne

Thanks to Intesa Sanpaolo’s “Restituzioni” project, the royal throne will be restored and will return to its ancient location by February 2026. At the moment the throne is temporarily replaced by an eighteenth-century Bourbon seat. The restoration process will be documented with videos and clips available on social networks, thus allowing the public to follow the different phases of the work.

### The First Antechamber and the Gobelins Tapestries

On the same day, the second of the two tapestries from the French Gobelins factory, depicting “Fire,” was repositioned. This tapestry completes the work in the First Antechamber, the place where people waited to be received by the king. Of the four tapestries that make up the Elements series, the first two to be restored and repositioned are “Air” and “Fire.” The other two, “Earth” and “Water,” are currently on display in the Gallery.

### The Elements Series: French Baroque Art

The four tapestries, woven in 1703, represent the seventh edition of a series based on cartoons created by Charles Le Brun, court painter of Louis XIV. Each tapestry is characterized by an exuberant baroque style and a remarkable quality in the ornamental still lifes, linked to a specific iconographic theme.

### Details of the Restoration of the Tapestries

The restoration of the tapestries involved the removal of surface dirt, repairing the unstitching and applying a linen canvas support on the back. In particular, the second tapestry depicting “The Fire” was also subjected to a wash after some preliminary tests. This complex work was carried out by the company Conservazione e Restauro Opere Tessili di Graziella Palei.

### The Restoration of the Grand Staircase

Meanwhile, the cleaning and restoration work on the Scalone d'Onore, which began in July and is scheduled to be completed by October, continues. These interventions will be temporarily suspended for the duration of the G7 Culture, scheduled for next week. The cleaning work, entrusted to the Consortium CO.MA.BER and carried out by the company Officine Marmi Italia, focuses on removing the oxidized rust stains on the steps. Thanks to these restorations, the Royal Palace of Naples continues to recover its ancient splendor, making precious elements of its extraordinary artistic heritage accessible to the public once again.