Claudia
Alliata di Villafranca

Born in Palermo on 8 July 1962.
A Cultural Heritage Restorer pursuant to Article 182 (Annex B, Part I, Table 2, paragraph 3), she has held the Chair of Painting Restoration (ABPR24) at the Academy of Fine Arts in Rome since 2003.
2003.
After graduating from the Palazzo Spinelli Institute for Art and Restoration in Florence in 1984, she worked with the restorer Paolo Bellucci at his studio in Florence until 1987.
Since 1987, she has worked as a professional restorer, primarily in Sicily, collaborating with numerous Superintendencies. The works she has restored include pieces by Antonello da Messina
(Ficarra polyptych), Vincenzo da Pavia (Sant’Angelo di Brolo and Alcara Li Fusi), Pietro Negroni (Church of Santa Maria di Portosalvo, Palermo), Zoppo di Ganci (Polizzi Generosa), Leon Dufourny
(Palazzo dei Normanni, Palermo), Guglielmo Borremans (Chiesa Madre, Caltanissetta), Pietro Novelli (private collection) and Vincenzo Camuccini (Camaldoli Monastery).
In 1999, she was appointed Head of the Exhibitions, Restoration and Events department of the FAI (Fondo Ambiente Italiano – Italian National Trust) Sicily branch.
In 2004, she was appointed by the Ministry of Education, Universities and Research (MIUR) as a member of the Inter-Ministerial Commission (MIUR-MIBAC) for the implementation of paragraphs 7, 8 and 9 of Article 29 of the Cultural Heritage Code, with the aim of
defining the skill profiles of restorers and the quality standards for the teaching of Restoration in Italy.
In 2005, she was entrusted by the Camaldolese Benedictine Monks’ Congregation with the task of managing the entire picture collection of their monasteries and the movable assets of their historical and artistic heritage
historical and artistic heritage (including paintings by Bronzino and Vasari, Della Robbia ceramics, paintings by Camuccini, and rare incunabula and 16th-century prints).
In 2005, she was appointed by the Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities (MiBAC) as a member of the Film Review Commission.
In 2011, she was appointed by the Ministry of Education, Universities and Research (MIUR) as a member of the Inter-Ministerial Technical Commission for the Accreditation and Supervision of Restoration Education.
She is the author of numerous articles and, in 1997, published the book Restauro dei dipinti e tecniche pittoriche (Ed. Quattrosoli).

The Painting Restoration course comprises theoretical lectures covering technical topics related to the history of traditional painting techniques from the 13th century to the early 20th century, the materials used, general concepts on the physics of colour, general concepts on diagnostic investigations, analysis of the causes of deterioration and ageing, and, finally, techniques for the restoration of paintings and frescoes.
In parallel with the theoretical work, time will be allocated to workshop activities consisting of practical exercises: tonal matching of a damaged area on card using pencil, chromatic tonal matching of a damaged area using coloured pencils, pictorial inpainting of a damaged area on a panel, and other exercises to be determined during the academic year.
During the course, sessions will also be held outside the Academy to visit exhibitions and/or galleries and/or churches and/or palaces and/or restoration sites.
THREE-YEAR COURSE
1
Painting Restoration Programme
(2017/2018)
PART 1
(PAINTING TECHNIQUES)
* * * * *
PAINTING AND PAINTING TECHNIQUES
1. GENERAL PRINCIPLES
2. LIGHT AND COLOUR
3. PIGMENTS AND COLOUR CLASSIFICATION
4. BINDERS AND THE PAINT FILM
5. VARNISHES, RESINS AND WAXES
EASEL PAINTING
PAINTINGS ON CANVAS
Textile supports
History and evolution of textile supports
Preparation
History and evolution of preparation
PAINTINGS ON PANEL
Structure of the tree trunk
General characteristics of wood
History and evolution of the wooden support
Preparation of the panels
Priming
PAINTING TECHNIQUE
Preparatory drawings
Impasto
Gilding
Tempera
Lean tempera
Egg tempera
Oily tempera
Oil
FRESCO
Fresco
Wall structure
Painting support
Arriccio
Plaster
Preparatory drawings
Colours in frescoes
THREE-YEAR COURSE
2
Auxiliary techniques in fresco painting
* * * * *
PART II
(THE RESTORATION OF PAINTINGS)
AETIOPATHOGENESIS AND THE CONCEPT OF RESTORATION
Approach to the work of art
Direct observation
Overview of diagnostic investigations
Restoration data sheet
Definition of deterioration and ageing
Definition of patina
Aesthetic restoration and conservation restoration
OPERATIONAL INTERVENTIONS
CONSERVATION INTERVENTIONS
Lining
Consolidation and fixing of the paint film
Paintings on canvas: lining
Paintings on panel: conservation treatments for wooden supports
AESTHETIC INTERVENTIONS
Cleaning
Filling
Paint restoration
Varnishing
FRESCO RESTORATION
Deterioration of frescoes: causes and alterations
Consolidation
Detachment
Cleaning
Disinfection
Filling
Paint restoration
PRACTICAL EXERCISES
THREE-YEAR COURSE
3
1. Tonal integration (or harmony) of the missing area involves reconstructing a missing area, specifically created on an image taken from a magazine. To be carried out on smooth white card, using an HB pencil, or a softer pencil for very dark tones (at least one exercise);
2. Tonal and chromatic matching (or harmonisation) of the lacuna involves reconstructing a lacuna, specifically created on an image taken from a magazine. To be carried out on smooth white card, using coloured pencils (at least one piece of work);
3. Pictorial inpainting of specially created gaps on reproductions of historic paintings taken from ‘Maestri del Colore’ or similar publications, to be carried out on masonite boards, using watercolour, tempera or enamel paints (at least 3 pieces);
4. Other activities to be determined during the academic year.

Course text:
‘Restauro dei dipinti e tecniche pittoriche’ by Claudia Alliata di Villafranca, ed. QUATTROSOLI.

Recommended texts for reference:
– ‘Teoria del restauro’ by Cesare Brandi, ed. EINAUDI.
– ‘Teoria del restauro e unità di metodologia’ by U. Baldini, NARDINI.
– “Il restauro pittorico nell’unità di metodologia” by O. Casazza, NARDINI.
– “Il libro dell’arte” by C. Cennini, with commentary and annotations by F. Brunello, NERI POZZA.