The angel’s face in a fresco at Rome’s San Lorenzo in Lucina church, which after restoration bore a striking resemblance to Italian Prime Minister Giorgio Meloni, will be modified. The goal is to return the mural to its original state as it appeared in 2000 when the artwork was first completed.
The restoration work, conducted by non-professional restorers working within the basilica, revealed the similarity after being carried out by Bruno Valentinetti, an 83-year-old artist who created the original fresco for the 2000 Christian jubilee year.
Meloni posted a photo of the mural on her Instagram with the caption: “No, I definitely don’t look like an angel.”
The likeness was discovered on January 31 at the church after its restoration. On February 1, it was reported that both the Diocese of Rome and Italy’s Ministry of Culture would inspect the fresco.
