(ANSA) - ROME, APRIL 29 - The hand of the bronze colossus by Constantine of the MuseiCapitolini has taken back most of its original shape. In fact, the fragment of the bronze finger, coinciding with the two upper phalanges of an index finger, arrived in Rome from the Louvre. A recomposition, underlined by the Capitol, made possible thanks to the generous availability of the President-Director in the Parisian museum Jean-Luc Martinez. Now the recomposed hand is exhibited in the Exedra of Marcus Aurelius together with the other bronzes, already in the Lateran, donated to the Roman People by Pope Sixtus IV in 1471.
According to what has been learned, this is a long-term, multi-year loan. A cultural event of great care, the result of the collaboration between Roma Culture, the Capitoline Superintendence for Cultural Heritage and the Louvre Museum, which takes place on the occasion of the 550th anniversary of the donation, a real act of foundation of the capitoline collections, but also almost 500 years after the separation parts of the hand now reassembled.
"After almost 500 years, thanks to the synergy between Rome and the Louvre museum, the hand of the colossal bronze statue of Constantine has been reassembled" says the mayor of Rome Virginia Raggi, underlining that this year "is 550 years since the donation of Pope Sixtus IV, 65 years after the twinning between Rome and Paris, 150 years of Rome Capital. It is a beautiful viaticum to reopen museums, a way to welcome citizens and tourists who will finally be able to see the restored work ". (HANDLE).