Il restauro della facciata della chiesa degli Scalzi a Venezia: dallo studio del monumento all'intervento, tra immagine e materia

The facade of the Church of S. Maria di Nazareth (also known as Church of the Scalzi) in Venice, has manifested se-rious conservation problems over time. These are mainly attributable to the material used for the realization of the rich decorative apparatus, namely, the Carrara marble, unusual for the Venetian context. Its recent conservative restoration – carried out under the supervision of the ABAP Superintendence of Venezia and Laguna – due to the peculiar problems related to the aggressiveness of the lagoon environment, was characterized as a kind of in situ laboratory, also involving the IGG-CNR in the research of the most suitable consolidation methods for the marble. By analyzing the design drawings, site and laboratory reports, the aim of this essay is to illustrate the methods of investigation and intervention of such an experimental site, which clearly reflects the inseparable relationship be-tween scientific analysis and art-historical knowledge in accurately operated conservation.