26/10/2011 | C. Martin
Art lovers planning Italy holidays now have a rare chance to appreciate a possible
16th-century Michelangelo.
La Pieta With Two Angels, which depicts Mary with her arms open over the
body of Jesus, was hung in a local home in the US for years.
The circa 1545 painting has now formed part of an exhibition on
Renaissance art in Rome, but experts disagree whether the work was done
by Michelangelo himself or by one of his collaborators.
The work has been restored "to near its original splendour" over the
past six months in a bid funded by the Rome Foundation, which sponsors
the art show.
The Renaissance in Rome: A Token to Michelangelo and Raphael, is being
held at the Fondazione Roma Museo, with art-loving visitors on tailor
made holidays likely to be attracted in large numbers.
"It's a major milestone for the painting to be included in an exhibit of
this calibre and hang beside generally acknowledged works by
Michelangelo, Raphael and other major Renaissance painters," said Martin
Kober, who owns the painting.
Copyright Press Association 2011