The California Patrons have arranged a complimentary private tour ofthe upcoming exhibition “Pompeii and the Roman Villa: Art andCulture around the Bay of Naples” at the Los Angeles County

Museum of Art. Most of the objects, including mosaics, paintings, andsculpture, come from opulent villas from Pompeii, Herculanea, and othertowns in the same area. Many of the 120 objects have never been seen in theUnited States and have been recently discovered. Invitations will be sent outto our members at the end of April. We will meet in the main courtyard ofthe Los Angeles County Museum of Art for a tour of the exhibition at 11:30a.m. on Thursday, June 4. California Patrons Greg and Randy Stanislawskiare graciously sponsoring the event.

CALIFORNIA PATRONS OF THE ARTS IN THE

VATICAN MUSEUMS

Spring 2008

Messaggero

The California Patrons are sponsoring the restoration of threeexquisite cabinets designed by the renowned Luigi Valadier.These beautiful pieces are located in the Museo Profano of the

Vatican and contain displays of the Holy Father’s Etruscan collection.Pope Clemens XIII created the Museo Profano in 1767. The Popewanted to display here the collection of ancient Etruscan statuettes,ivory objects, pagan relics and ancient medals of the Holy See. Afterthe completion of the beautiful XVIII century room, Pope Pius VIasked the mobiliér Andrea Mimmi (1701-1783) to construct theseelegant boiseries with wood originating from Brazil. The entire groupwas designed by the famous artist Luigi Valadier (1726-1785). Thearrangement of the rooms was remodeled by Clement XIII who hadthe walls covered in marble, with the original ornaments in stuccoand paintings on the allegorical fresco of the vault dating from 1768.

These three cabinets are finely inlaid and richly decorated in giltbronze and placed on four legs “a cabriole,” carved as heads andpaws of lions. The cases contain a window, a boiserie, inside wherethe antique collections of the Museo Profano are displayed. In hisDiary of Rome from May 31, 1780, Valadier speaks of the “Museumof the Medals…” that were to go inside the “four most noble cabinetsin Brazilian wood in various colors surrounded by gilt metals and

Continued on page 3

Patrons Restore Valadier Cabinets

SAVE THE DATEJune 4, 2009 at 11:30 at LACMA“Pompeii and the Roman Villa:

Art and Culture Around the Bay of Naples”

The Patrons Office has issued the2009 WishBook. Fr. Mark Haydu, theinternational director of the Patrons,and his staff, met with the curators ofthe Vatican Museums several times toevaluate specific projects important toeach department in the Museums.The selected projects, with descrip-tions and costs, are then compiledinto the annual WishBook divided

into sections on Medieval, Byzantineand Modern Art, Decoration Arts,Missionary-Ethnological, XIX Centuryand Contemporary, Etruscan-Italic,Pio-Christian, and Oriental Antiqui-ties. The 2009 WishBook is availableonline at www.vatican-patrons.org.The projects are beautifullypresented, with pictures, historicalbackground and a description of the

restoration process for each item.Please peruse the WishBook to get anappreciation of the breadth of theVatican collection and the manyneeds and opportunities available. Ifyou have not renewed your member-ship, please do so now. Invite friendsand family to join!

2 • Spring 2008 CALIFORNIA PATRONS OF THE ARTS IN THE VATICAN MUSEUMS

CALIFORNIA PATRONS OF THE ARTS IN THE

VATICAN MUSEUMS

Michael Scott Feeley, Chairman • michael.feeley@lw.com • 213-891-7895Monica M. Lomenzo, Coordinator • mml@monicalomenzo.com

California Patrons of the Arts in the Vatican Museums301 N. Lake Ave., Suite 900, Pasadena, CA 91101

by Michael Scott Feeley

Chairman’s Corner

On March 13, 2009, the CaliforniaPatrons enjoyed a complimentary tourof the extraordinary exhibition “TheDragon’s Gift: The Sacred Art ofBhutan” at the Asian Art Museum ofSan Francisco. California Patron andboard member Kathleen Hustonorganized a wonderful event. A veryknowledgeable and interesting docentguided 20 Patrons on a private tour.The exhibition consists of some 150objects, most of which have never leftthe Buddhist kingdom high up in theHimalayas. Many of the sculptures,paintings, and other objects are usedin religious rituals in the temples ofBhutan. They are “working” piecesthat have important liturgical func-tions. Bhutan allowed the objects totravel to the United States to spreadblessings to our country. Two monksguard the objects and perform dailyrituals in the museum. The Patronsenjoyed listening to the monks chantand offer prayers.

Following the tour, Patrons fromthe Bay Area and Southern California

enjoyed fellowship and sharing theirviews on the exhibition. The Patronsgathered in a private room at themuseum for a lovely reception. Inaddition to wine and drinks, thesumptuous spread included tunatartar, shrimp, vegetarian rolls, anddelicious pastries. Thanks to Kathleenfor sponsoring the event!

Sacred Art of Bhutan Tour

crystal at the doors, in which in goodsymmetry there will remain displayedto the public these ancient monu-ments.” The cabinets were finished by1783, two years before his death.

Professor Guido Cornini, thedirector of the Decorative Arts Depart-ment, is personally coordinating therestorers and specialists. The restora-tion of this project is particularlycomplicated because the cabinets havesuch material as wood and bronzewhile the artifacts inside are made ofprecious stones, glass, ivory andcrystal. For this reason the conserva-tion is being carried in diverse studios.

Presently, the boiseries are beingrestored one by one: first the cases andthen the doors. The restoration of thefirst cabinet is almost completed. Thevery first step was the cleaning of thesurface and the removal of oxidationpresent on different parts of the cabi-nets. Carpenters are working on thebody of the cabinet fixing those inlaidparts which were buckling, especiallyon the top. The restoration of the fourlion shaped legs is completed and theyhave regained their splendor.

The objects in this cabinet areworks of art themselves: small dolls,

dies, needles, small beautycases for women. There arealso decorations or “knickknacks” such as tiny stat-uettes. Unfortunately, all ofthem have a yellowish layerdue to the glues and varnishes used byrestorers in the past.

The shutters of this cabinet aredifferent from the others because onthe back side they display a bronzemilitary diploma which is a documentfrom ancient Rome granting Romancitizenship to those soldiers whocompleted their military duty, andthree bronze tabulae patronatus. Inancient Rome these tabulae were usedto confer an honor upon very impor-tant citizens. Two of these honorary

tablets come from thevillage of Sassoferratoand belonged toCardinal AlessandroAlbani, and the thirdone was found in 1776during archaeological

excavations on the Aventine Hill inRome.

The restorers are now approachingthe cleaning of the inside parts of theshutters covered with centuries of dustand debris. As far as it concerns thebronze objects of this cabinet, theirrestoration will be completed by May2009, while the rest of the objects inivory should be ready by the end ofthis year. The California Patrons grantof $80,000 is funding all the work.

CALIFORNIA PATRONS OF THE ARTS IN THE VATICAN MUSEUMS Spring 2008 • 3

The Vatican Museums providedthe EWTN network withunique access to the Museums

to film a 10 episode series entitled“Catholic Canvas.” The series is ajourney through salvation historyillustrated by objects of art in the

Vatican Museums. ProfessorElizabeth Lev, the daughter ofU.S. Ambassador in the Holy SeeMary Ann Glenden, hosts theprogram. At the end of eachepisode, the internationaldirector of the Patrons, Fr. MarkHaydu, gives a short presenta-tion on the Patrons and art the

Patrons are restoring.Filming occurred while the Cali-

fornia Patrons were visiting Rome forour 25th Anniversary in October2008. The producer filmed the Cali-fornia Patrons in the Museums andconducted interviews with several ofthe Patrons. The second episodefeatures Bruce and Carolyn Ludwigdiscussing the importance of thePatrons work while standing in frontof the Pietá, and Janet and MichaelFeeley sharing their experience aboutthe work of the Patrons with the Pina-coteca as background. Check thetelevision listings for the series.

California Patrons on “Catholic Canvas”

Valadier from page 1

Expert Restorer carefully workingon one of the Valadier cabinets

Fr. Mark Haydu and Prof. Elizabeth

Lev filming in theSistine Chapel

CALIFORNIA PATRONS OF THE ARTSIN THE

VATICAN MUSEUMS

301 N. Lake Ave., Suite 900Pasadena, CA 91101

Marcia Hobbs, Christian and CatherineHobbs

Marilyn Kinney, Jim and Rosaleen Kelly Marian and Carden Smith

Sunnie Evers, Julia Dobel, Michael Feeley Kathleen Huston and Bobbie Wilsey

Bhutan Tour see article on page 3