Attached Link: http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/europe/09/16/italy.david.ap/index.html

Italian art restorers are about to start the cleaning of the magnificent statue of David by Michaelangelo. If you've ever seen it at the Accademia in Firenze, it's just incredible. The cleaning technique, however, is extremely controversial and has the possiblity of damaging the statue. This would be a horrendous loss to the world. Summary of the situation is at the link. I know this isn't concerning Vue, but since it is concerned with fine arts, I think it is of interest to us in this forum. Thanks.

Disgraceful, it sounds as if they haven't a clue what there're doing. For goodness sake, if I'm cleaning my leather sofa with a product or method I've not used before, I try it on the back where it won't be seen if it all goes horribly wrong, so why are these people messing about with a (at best) controversial cleaning method on one of the best examples of Michaelangelo's statute work anywhere in the world? It beggers belief Thanks for the heads up, I feel a "Stone maidens" type picture on the way, just to give this post a vueish theme :)

This is about art DJ, Vue is an art forum. :O) There are so many other methods of cleaning that have proven to be safe I just don't see why someone would experiment on and age old art piece. This is not cool at all. Thanks for the post DJ!

Thanks for bringing this important information to the attention of the forum. This is what makes this forum function as it should, the sharing of art related matters.

seems like ignorance is bliss to the italians in this matter..after reading all the comments posted by the panicking artworld one would assume the italians have lost their marbles..i feel more voices should be heard on this subject as the seriousness of it to all art loving people gives rise to a terrible catastrophe about to happen.. art is for everybody not just those who can afford it..lets hope someone knocks some sense into the italians and leave well alone..thanks for the link djeser and for spotlighting this affront to a very special piece of art..(davy)

I hope they don't damage this wonderful statue , thanks for the link:-)

What a tragedy it would be if they do harm to a priceless piece of art. I had assumed that the possessors of this statue recognized what a masterpiece it is. The beauty of art is that a little part of it's creator lives eternally within it. What can one do to stop this? If someone finds out let me know! Thanks Djeser for making me aware of this tragedy.

Too bad Michaelangelo is no longer available..... I am sure he would know very well what to do. Sometimes it looks as if those genious people that lived hundreds of years ago knew so much more then we do now. With all our computers and technology, we seem to be utterly confused facing stone, water and mud....

Thanks for the link. Its great that we have a forum where these matters can be bought to the attention of concerned artists that would not normally find these articals.

Makes me cringe and remember the Elgin marbles. I would hope they will be VERY professional about it and try it out on a little tiny piece first... or on a piece of the same marble dating from the same period if that's available. My brother in law restores art and is very careful that way but boy, have we seen restauration horrors in some of the 19th century paintings we find. And, of course, every person who cleans a painting insists he does it right. Oh my, this is giving me a very bad feeling. Very bad indeed!

I hope they will be stopped... It sounds to me like cleaning the "Mona Lisa" with tarpentine...