Former Art Conservator Stefano Scafetta to Speak at January Meeting

The featured speaker for our meeting on Sunday. January 26, 2025, will be Stefano Scafetta who retired in November 2008 as the senior conservator of paintings at the Smithsonian American Art Museum (SAAM) in Washington, D.C. He was born in Formia in the region of Lazio, Italy, during World War II. When he was 15, he immigrated with his mother to New York City so that he could attend the Fiorello La Guardia High School of Music and Art for exceptionally talented students. After graduation, he earned a B.A. degree from Brooklyn College and then a M.A. degree in art history from Columbia University in New York.

Stefano Scafetta

When the Arno River overflowed its banks in 1966 and destroyed much art in Florence, Stefano was inspired to change his field of study from art history to art conservation. He began studying art conservation at the Institute of Fine Arts at New York University. To earn his conservation certificate, Stefano had internships in Rome and Brussels, one year each. he was then hired as a painting conservator in the Brooklyn Museum from 1972 to 1974. In November 1974, he moved to Washington, D.C., where he was employed by the SAAM as a laboratory supervisor and a conservator of paintings. He remained there for 34 years until his retirement. During his tenure there, he joined the American Institute for Conservation (AIC) as a Professional Associate and was later elected as a Fellow by its Learned Society. he is also a member of the International Institution for Conservation (IIC). Stefano still resides in downtown Washington.

At the beginning of his presentation, Stefano will show a 17-minute documentary about the flood and the “mud angels” who were young American students attending a Florida university. They worked in the effort to rescue damaged art. After showing the documentary, Stefano will discuss four of the many paintings which he restored during his 34-year tenure working inside the SAAM. In particular, he will discuss the conservation of “Columbus Before the Queen,” a historic painting done in 1841 by Peter Frederick Rothermel (1812-1895), the conservation of “Torre di Schiavi” (Tower of Slaves), a scenic painting done in 1865 by Thomas Hiram Hotchkiss (1834-1869), the conservation of a portrait of Elizabeth Winthrop Chanler (1866-1937) done in 1893 by John Singer Sargent (1856-1925) who was born in Florence to American parents, and the conservation of a portrait of Don José Mas Ferrer done in 1795 by José Campeche (1751-1809). A question-and-answer period will follow.

To register for the January 26 meeting and luncheon, please click HERE.