1959:35–47). Although the room in which the painting is exhibited was
thefirst in Italy to have a climate-controlled environment, damage to the
installed equipment by lightning and general neglect (such as wide-open
windows) have severely tested the support of the Maestà,which, never-
theless, is holding up very well.
The back panels, with the scenes from the life of Christ that had
not been thinned in the separation, still had the original nails that had held
the two panel layers together. Aslice of the wood belonging to the back of
the Maestàalso remained, but it had to be removed. The nail heads that
were under the paint layer had to be removed because of the damage
fromthe progressive accretion of rust (Istituto Centrale per il Restauro
1959:29–34). After the nail heads were removed from the back with a hole196 Rothe
Figure 18, above
Duccio di Buoninsegna, Maestà. Dr awing of
the metal support attached to the horizontal
cradle on the back of the panel.
Figure 19, abov e right
Duccio di Buoninsegna, Maestà,reverse.
Detail ofthe support mechanism.
Figure 20, right
Duccio di Buoninsegna, Maestà,reverse. The
completed support mechanism on the back of
the panel.