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The town of Pienza (Umbria), totally redesigned as an “ideal city” by Pope Pius II and consecrated in 1462, welcomes back one of its most famous treasures after a delicate 2-year restoration operation carried out by the Pinacoteca Nazionale di Siena.
The “Piviale” or silken papal mantle, elaborately embroidered in gold, with minute scenes from the life of the Virgin and portraits of saints, is believed to originally have been made in England around 1317 by highly specialized weavers and seamsters. Their technique, infact, is known as “opus angelicanum”. The rich garment was probably commissioned by Queen Isabella of England as a gift to present to Pope John XXII, residing at the time in Avignon.
Two centuries later, Pope Pius II gave the Piviale to the new town he had created at Pienza.
The Piviale is now on show in the Bishop's Palace, seat of the Diocese Museum.
For information: Museo Diocesiano info@valentinaniccolai.it
