Vasari’s fresco “The Battle of Scannagallo” has not been drilled to search for the lost fresco by Leonardo “The Battle of Anghiari.” According to the engineer Maurizio Seracini (University of San Diego), who led the research supported by City of Florence and National Geographic Society, have been made six holes in the wall with a diameter of 6 mm only in areas where there is no painting by Vasari.
“We have been made holes where there was no color – Seracini said -. So the fresco by Vasari was not touched and was not damaged as claimed by Italia Nostra in its complaint to florentine prosecutor. The fresco by Vasari is not compromised because the small holes were made in places where color is dropped or where there are old fills.”
The study of Seracini is under investigation by Carabinieri after the complaint of Italia Nostra. “The restorers of the Opificio delle Pietre Dure have chosen the appropriate locations for the holes, then I used the endoscope to study the interior of the wall – said Seracini -. Everything was done according to law.”
According to Seracini ”Vasari fresco was not damaged.” One of the holes was made using a natural lesion of the wall. The operation, Seracini said, “has allowed engineers of the Opificio to study Vasari fresco and to intervene to restore it, this operation is still ongoing.” Seracini also mentioned that this last phase of the research with the endoscopic probe was “authorized by the Ministry for Cultural Heritage and the superintendent of Florence.”
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