Flooded Florence: The Day Modern Art Conservation Was Born

By Richard Pierce

On November 4, 1966, after a month of heavy rain, the Arno River overflowed its banks, flooding the city of Florence and causing incalculable damage to life, property, and the cultural patrimony of Italy and the world. Now known as “l’Alluvione,” the Florence flood revolutionized the field of art conservation and moved it from a craft to a specialized field for professionals dedicated to the study of the technology and conservation of works of art and historic artifacts.

NYU’s Conservation Center of the Institute of Fine Arts, and Villa la Pietra, NYU’s 57-acre campus in Florence, in a joint American-Italian venture with Mayor Leonardo Domenici of Florence and the Opificio delle Pietre Dure e Laboratori di Restauro recently marked the 40th anniversary of the flood with an international symposium held in Florence. Entitled “Conservation Legacies of “l’Alluvione,” the event took place at the Villa La Pietra and the Palazzo Vecchio and featured a keynote address by Senator Edward M. Kennedy.

On Nov. 11, Domenici and Kennedy and the mayors of New Orleans, Dresden, and Prague—cities that have experienced severe flooding—signed a Declaration of Commitment to conservation and protection of art treasures in the wake of natural disasters. For a detailed program of events, visit: www.nyu. edu/gsas/dept/fineart/ifa/Florence/florence.htm.

Senator Edward Kennedy meeting “mud angels” at the National Library in 1966. Photographs above reprinted with permission from the book 4th November 1966: The Flood in Florence by Silvia Messeri and Sandro Pintus (Ibiskos Editrice Risolo, Italy. www.florenceflood.com)

“The great flood of 1966 in Florence most certainly served as a catalyst for the development of new materials and methods for restoration, especially those for mass or large-scale treatments,” said Michele Marincola, Sherman Fairchild Chairman, Conservation Center, and professor of conservation at NYU’s Institute of Fine Arts. “It also led to the creation of organizations that raised funds for the treatment of damaged art works. And it brought together art conservators from all parts of the world, enabling them to exchange knowledge with colleagues they might never have met.

“Those experts returned to their countries and institutions with approaches and treatments pioneered in Florence. Unfortunately, much of the knowledge gained by those individuals was never published or widely disseminated and, without this symposium, would be lost for good when the generation of ‘l’Alluvione’ is gone.”

The symposium brought together many of the surviving participants in the rescue effort—both the leaders and the so-called “mud angels” who were in the field. They considered the flood and its legacy for art conservation and international emergency response, international cooperation, the introduction of new materials and techniques, and the continuing development of disaster preparedness and preventive measures. The international response to the flood revolutionized the field of art conservation and served as a catalyst for the development of new emergency procedures and responses.

“Just like the historic collaboration of so many young American students and their Italian counterparts 40 years ago, the symposium represents a wonderful partnership between American and Italian conservators and policy makers,” said Ellyn Toscano, director of La Pietra.

The flood waters damaged a wide range of artworks and monuments in the historic heart of Florence, including such masterpieces as Cimabue’s great Crucifix from Santa Croce, Donatello’s Penitent Magdalene, and Ghiberti’s magnificent Doors of Paradise from the Baptistery of San Giovanni. Lesser-known works of great historical importance, such as the rare collection of the National Library, were also heavily damaged.

In acknowledgement of the importance of this symposium for the field of conservation, the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation funded the participation of a group of U.S. conservation students who have been involved with the Hurricane Katrina response and recovery efforts.