NEW YORK, NY.- Save Venice announced the completed restoration of two extraordinary artworks in the church of Santa Maria Assunta in Malamocco, at the southern part of the Lido island. One of these is Girolamo Forabosco's 17th-century painting of The Miraculous Rescue of a Gondola, which was conserved with the generous support of Arnold M. Bernstein. This large painting was commissioned by Zuane (Giovanni) Ventura as an ex-voto, a token of gratitude for his family’s survival from a gondola shipwreck in 1610. The picture is displayed prominently on the left wall of the church's presbytery.

Conservators Enrica Colombini and Sofia Marchesin removed surface grime, yellowed oxidized varnish, and areas of heavy overpainting from previous interventions, transforming the once-dulled painting into a bright and colorful scene filled with delightful details of 17th-century Venetian life. During treatment, the restorers also discovered evidence that the canvas had once been folded, necessitating additional repairs to address the resulting damage. This will ensure its preservation for future generations.

The second restoration, also carried out by Enrica Colombini, Sofia Marchesin, and Annalisa Nardin, focused on an early 15th-century wooden folding altarpiece, one of the few surviving examples in Venice. Attributed to Caterino Moranzon, the altarpiece draws inspiration from the renowned Pala d’Oro in the Basilica di San Marco. It features intricately carved and gilded figures on the front and traces of painted imagery still visible on the reverse. Due to its fragile condition, the work had been displayed on the wall of the sacristy for the past 40 years, rather than in the sanctuary.

The 2023–2024 conservation, made possible through the generous support of Save Venice board member Xavier F. Salomon, addressed numerous structural and surface issues. These included an infestation of wood-boring insects, lifting and flaking gilding, corrosion of the metal support elements, and a thick layer of surface grime accumulated over centuries.

Thanks to this restoration, the impressive altarpiece has reclaimed its original liturgical function decorating an altar in the church's presbytery, in this case the altar used for regular celebration of the mass. Under the guidance of officials from the Catholic Diocese of Venice and the Venice branch of the Italian Ministry of Culture, the UniSVe firm designed a support structure that both safeguards the artwork and allows visitors to view both its front and reverse sides.

The Malamocco community recently celebrated these exciting achievements during the festivities commemorating the 224th Festa della Madonna di Marina. Parish priest Mons. Cesare Zanusso was joined by Don Gianmatteo Caputo, delegate of Cultural Heritage for the Diocesi Patriarcato di Venezia, for the blessing of the new altar on Sunday, July 6, 2025. On Tuesday, July 8, the parish hosted the public presentation of the restorations with remarks from conservators, public officials, and Save Venice's Melissa Conn.