The Rimini Mission

It is one of the world’s most important late medieval works of art made of alabaster and a major work in the Liebieghaus Skulpturensammlung: the Rimini Altarpiece (c. 1430). As of 3 November 2021, following extensive restoration, it will once again be on view in the museum’s outstanding permanent exhibition. In a concentrated special exhibition, the results of this international restoration project will be made impressively visible to the public. In four sections, the Liebieghaus scholars Harald Theiss (Head of Restoration) and Stefan Roller (Head of the Medieval Collection) explain the characteristic properties of the material alabaster, as well as the individual steps of the art-technological analysis. In addition, they illustrate the challenges of restoring this highly sensitive material and address questions of sculpture technique, as well as the original coloration of the artwork. The highlight of the special exhibition is the presentation of the masterpiece in a custom-made 4.0 × 3.5-metre display, the form of which is based on contemporary Dutch altars.