Hidden among the hills that feed the fountains of the Royal Palace of Caserta, in the heart of the Real Casino del Bosco di San Silvestro, three frescoes from the early eighteenth century are breathing again thanks to a complex conservative restoration project. The works, attributed to the first decades of the eighteenth century and housed in the “Yellow”, “Bacco e Arianna” and “Diana cacciatrice” rooms, are part of a fragile and precious legacy: that of the “Royal Delights” of the Bourbons, included in the larger system of the Royal Palace recognized by UNESCO.
The project, promoted by the autonomous museum of the Ministry of Culture and financed through a targeted programming of ordinary funds, is part of a broader strategy for the protection of Vanvitelli's heritage. It is not just a matter of restoring works, but of preserving identities. The canvases, located on the first floor of the building designed by Francesco Collecini between 1797 and 1801, were in critical conditions: damaged wooden structures, oxidations, lacerations and detachments threatened their integrity and legibility.
The canvas of “Bacchus and Ariadne” was particularly compromised, having partially detached from the ceiling: a surgical operation allowed its removal and transfer to the specialized laboratory of Magistri srl, where diagnostic analyses are underway. The first tests suggest that the work was created by joining several portions of canvas before painting, a rare and fascinating practice that opens up new historical interpretations. The other two frescoes will be restored on site, to reduce the risks associated with handling.
Thermographic investigations, resistography tests on wooden ceilings and micro-samples for the study of pictorial materials enrich the intervention, with the aim of ensuring not only the recovery, but also the future stability of the works. At the end of the restoration, the removed canvas will return to its original position, giving the room its authentic face.
The Bosco di San Silvestro, along with San Leucio, the Royal Park , and the English Garden, represented the heart of Bourbon rural and hunting life. Since 1993, it has been entrusted to WWF Italy, which, through the company La Ghiandaia, manages its activities and workshops. Today, thanks to an intervention that combines science, technology, and vision, those paintings suspended between sky and history can once again reveal their timeless beauty.
It is interesting to see how the frescoes become visible again after so much time, but I wonder if there is a way to maintain these works without having to do continuous restorations. History and culture are important.