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2mo ago

Italy Opens Dual Probes Into Rome Fresco Said to Resemble Giorgia Meloni

Heritage officials with the Diocese of Rome are reviewing the fresco against archives to determine whether the restoration strayed from the 2000 design.

A detail of a restored chapel with Angels depicted on a fresco to the memory of late Italy's King Umberto II inside the Basilica of St. Lawrence in Lucina in Rome, Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
A restored chapel with Angels depicted on a fresco to the memory of late Italy's King Umberto II is seen inside the Basilica of St. Lawrence in Lucina in Rome, Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
A restored chapel with Angels depicted on a fresco to the memory of late Italy's King Umberto II is seen inside the Basilica of St. Lawrence in Lucina in Rome, Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

Overview

  • La Repubblica’s before-and-after images raised concerns that a cherub beside a bust of King Umberto II now mirrors the prime minister’s features.
  • The Culture Ministry sent heritage inspectors, including delegate Daniela Porro, while the Diocese launched its own investigation into the intervention.
  • Restorer Bruno Valentinetti says he repaired water damage over two years by retracing his original 2000 lines, rejecting claims of a deliberate likeness.
  • Authorities will compare the repainting with archival records and can order reinstatement and penalties if unauthorized changes are confirmed, despite limited state protection for the 2000 work.
  • Giorgia Meloni joked on Instagram that she does not resemble an angel as crowds flocked to the basilica to view the image, at times disrupting Mass.