I knew nothing about the restoration of the Baptism. I'm surprised, as I've always thought the Uffizi was an example of moderation in its cleaning. In the past they claimed that under no circumstances would they restore their Leonardos, except in a case of real damage. Petrioli Tofani denies that the gallery is working in secret. The painting had serious problems.
Every great museum has restorations constantly in progress.
We can't call journalists for every restoration. Moreover, restoring this painting does not present more problems than restoring a 14th century altar-piece measuring four metres by three. Petrioli Tofani's confidence is not shared by some critics, who believe that restoration of Leonardo's angel, gently modulated in light and shade with the most delicate brushwork, is a perilous task. This makes cleaning very complex. Moreover, the Baptism features different techniques - there are at least three hands in this painting.