What is physically the largest Italian Renaissance masterpiece in the United States? The answer has been in storage at Mia for nearly 70 years.

This exhibition brings back to view Francesco Salviati’s tapestry depicting the meeting of Dante and Virgil at the beginning of the Inferno. Over 17 feet tall, the tapestry was created to cover an entire wall of the Palazzo Salviati in Florence and was woven in the 1540s at a workshop established by the Grand Duke Cosimo de Medici.

Thanks to a grant from The European Fine Arts Foundation (TEFAF), the tapestry has recently undergone conservation, allowing it to be stabilized and safely displayed once again. Due to its sensitivity to light, however, it can only be exhibited for a limited time—making this a rare opportunity to experience the work in person.

Funding for the conservation of this artwork was generously provided through a grant from the TEFAF Museum Restoration Fund in partnership with the Bank of America Art Conservation Project.