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“The School of Athens” by Raffaello Sanzio, Veneranda Biblioteca Ambrosiana, Milan, Italy

The Project

Pilkington OptiView™ OW, which already protects numerous priceless exhibits in global museums and galleries, now also enhances one of the world’s most exceptional and unique works of art.

Raffaello Sanzio’s masterpiece “The School of Athens”, features Plato and Aristotle and represents the study of philosophy. It was created in 1509 and over the years has passed through the hands of numerous notables including Napoleon Boneparte.

It now rests back in Milan’s Biblioteca Ambrosiana and, following four years of restoration, is open to public viewing. This fragile work of art, which was created using charcoal on laid sheets, now benefits from the all-round protective properties of Pilkington OptiView™ OW.

The glass was the obvious choice – when compared to traditional offerings. The artwork is displayed behind a vitrine featuring a single eight-metre long sheet of this special protective glass – the world’s largest ever to be produced and installed in-situ. Laminated Pilkington OptiView™ OW, with its thin layer of metal oxides and anti-reflective properties, reduces light reflection to a minimum (2 per cent), protects against vandalism and offers the perfect all-round, true-colour, viewing experience.

For those who want to deepen their knowledge, there is an informational display table set up in front of the Cartoon, which is designed to help viewers appreciate and share in this pivotal piece of artwork from the Italian Renaissance.

  Project ReferenceGL_PR0050
  View Project Location Map
Project Details
Surface Area
30 m²
Address
Veneranda Biblioteca Ambrosiana - Piazza Pio XI 2, Milan, Italy
Opening Date
27 Mar 2019
Building Type
  • Museums and Cultural Building
Client
Veneranda Biblioteca Ambrosian
About the Architect/Installer
Architect
Exhibition design Room IV and Room V of the Pinacoteca Ambrosiana: Stefano Boeri (Founding Partner), Marco Giorgio (Project Director), Francesca Motta (Project Leader), Esteban Marquez, Daniele Barillari, Elisa Versari – Milan, Italy; Executive Design and Production of the Case: Goppion SpA – Trezzano sul Naviglio (MI), Italy
Installer
Glass processor: Novavetro - San Severino Marche (MC), Italy; Transport and installation of special glass: Pinotti & Valentino Snc – Brugherio (MI), Italy
Benefit Led Categories
  • Enhanced Visibility