The Uncovering of the Sistine Chapel

In 1980, restorer Gianluigi Colalucci climbed the scaffolding inside the Sistine Chapel and pressed a small solvent-soaked compress against a darkened section of Michelangelo's ceiling. For centuries, candle soot, animal glue from previous "restorations," and layers of grime had dulled the frescoes into muddy shadows. Critics had long assumed Michelangelo painted in muted, somber tones. But when Colalucci lifted that first compress, a shock of vivid rose and electric blue emerged beneath the filth.…