Photo: Restoring the 17 mx 12m canvas in GRANDA.
On the night of April 18, 1915, a short circuit caused a dreadful fire in the Comedy Theater of MadridThe theater's interior was destroyed, including the curtain, and the ceiling collapsed over the stalls.
The room was reconstructed in eight months for the architect Bellido following the original plans by Ortiz de Villajos. Above the seating area, on the ceiling, was installed a large canvas, measuring 17 m x 12 m, representing, in an open sky, the muses together with some classical architectures. The muses, goddesses of the arts and knowledge, each represent a different discipline (tragedy, comedy, dance, history, sacred song and astronomy). They appear on Olympus, which frames the scene, embedded in clouds and accompanied by small angels.
After years of decorating the ceiling of the theater, the canvas has been restored for the first time since its creation. The canvas presented humidity stains, fungus remains and an important layer of dirt. After months of intense work, GRANDA has completed the restoration of the canvas, which will now return to its place of origin.
