Among the highlights of the Italian Pavilion at Expo 2025 in Osaka, it will be on display until 13 October on Portrait of Itō Mancio by Domenico Tintoretto, protagonist of a scientific and technological enhancement project that embodies the virtuous encounter between art and science.
Made in 1585, the painting represents a crucial stage in the history of diplomatic relations between Italy and Japan, marking the first official contact between the two countries. Preserved in Collection of the Trivulzio Foundation in Milan, the portrait is presented together with an immersive video that recounts the campaign of diagnostic surveys conducted by the ‘La Venaria Reale’ Conservation Restoration Centre, with the support of the Bracco Foundation.
The JRC’s scientific team – supported by restorers from the Centre and professionals from the University of Milan, the University of Milan-Bicocca and DeepTrace Technologies, a spin-off of the IUSS-Scuola Universitaria Superiore Pavia – carried out non-invasive analyses of the work, offering the public an unprecedented look at the materials and techniques used by the artist. Thanks to science, it is possible to explore both the most superficial and the deepest layers of the painting, bringing to light hidden details and offering a new reading of the portrait in its complexity.
When research and innovation are born from collaboration, the Italian heritage becomes a source of inspiration for the world, transforming knowledge into a living and shared experience.
CCR and accessibility
