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A monumental artwork facing time and elements
A major conservation project is underway at the Florence American Cemetery, where specialists have begun restoring the site’s monumental Italian Campaign Battle Map — a 50‑square‑meter marble artwork that has greeted visitors for decades.
The map, composed of 54 marble panels featuring intricate marquetry, mosaics and resin inlays, illustrates the Allied advance through Italy during World War II. After years of exposure to humidity, salt migration and structural stress, the American Battle Monuments Commission launched a full restoration to preserve the artwork for future generations.
Dismantling and securing the panels
The first phase of the project, completed in December, focused on dismantling and securing the panels and cleaning its structural support wall. Conservation teams installed a full-height scaffold and used a custom lifting system to remove each 150‑kilogram panel. Every piece was photographed, numbered and placed into made‑to‑measure crates lined with high‑density foam.
One section of the map — a large composite panel depicting the Tyrrhenian Sea — was deemed too fragile to remove and will be treated in place.
The team discovered significant condensation on the marble surfaces. “Humidity was one of our biggest challenges,” said Ségolène de Landevoisin, project manager within ABMC’s Engineering team. “All panels were so saturated with moisture that we had to delay applying protective facings, and the extra moisture made them much heavier and harder to transport.”
Preparing the wall and maintaining visitor experience
Once the panels were removed, crews cleared old mortars and cements from the brick substrate. A full‑scale printed tarpaulin now covers the wall, ensuring the memorial remains visually coherent for visitors during the months‑long off‑site restoration.
The panels were sent to an art‑transport specialist, who moved the panels and placed them in a secure hangar in Italy while administrative procedures with the Italian government are completed. Because it is a work of art, the government requires assurances about where the piece is coming from and confirmation that it will return.
A pilot effort for future restorations
“This is the first battle map I have had the opportunity to work on.” Landevoisin said. “The project is especially meaningful because it serves as a pilot effort, with several other battle maps scheduled for restoration afterward.”
The FLAC team, supervised by Superintendent Eryth Zecher, brought a great support for this project. Assistant Superintendent Isabella Rundini conducted some historical research about the battle map while OTM Oscar Tranchina was the engineers’ eyes on the ground.
The second phase, now underway in a specialized workshop at Suresnes, France, includes desalination, stabilization of marquetry elements, consolidation of degraded resins and re-adhesion of detached tesserae. Conservators are also studying original markings found on the panel edges and backs to better understand the map’s construction.
The project is expected to last 20 to 25 weeks.
