On July 19 and 22, 2024, a mobile scaffold was employed to assess the conservation status of the oil paintings on plaster as well as the painted and gilded stucco decorations on the intrados of the vault in the Room of Cupid and Psyche. A close visual inspection of the entire surface of the intrados facilitated the preparation of this report and the mapping of the primary deterioration of the materials involved. The scaffolding also provided access to six of the twelve wall lunettes and the wall frescoes, which, along with the relief moulding inscribed with text, complete the architectural design of the vaulted wattle and daub ceiling.
The mapping process documented the overall pattern of cracks, including significant visible breaks in continuity in both stuccoed and other materials, helping to form a comprehensive overview of the current condition.
In the late 1980s and early 1990s, the Istituto Centrale per il Restauro (Central Institute for Restoration) undertook a complete restoration of the room, with subsequent localised work performed in 2011. While the surfaces remain in fair condition, they were meticulously analysed using spotlights that produced a grazing light beam.
In addition to a substantial accumulation of cobwebs and dust that has settled over time, particularly on the semi-vertical surfaces of the vault, several issues were identified concerning the materials of the artworks.
The primary damage will be examined by degrees, focusing on the three types of decorations present: oil painting; decorated coffering; stucco work; fresco.
