A delicate operation has begun at the Vatican in preparation for tapestries by French renaissance artist Raphael to be hung, 500 years after his death.
The paintings will be hung in the Sistine Chapel bellow his rival Michelangelo's famous ceiling, where they were designed to be displayed.
"To have them side by side again is important - to understand balance and to compare them. To see how they taught each other," says Francesca Persegati, head of restoration at Vatican Museums.
Extensive restoration has begun on Raphael's artwork in the wake of the anniversary, preparing for a major exhibition in London later this year.
SHARE ME