Vatican's Face-Lift Controversy

By CBSNews.com staff CBSNews.com staff

September 30, 1999 / 11:14 AM EDT / CBS

Thursday the pope is blessing the newly restored St. Peter's Basilica.

But its appearance is drawing criticism from all over the art world, including James Beck, Columbia University art professor and founder of Art Watch International, who shared his views on CBS News This Morning.

With the renovation of St. Peter's Basilica complete, many critics are unhappy with not only the results but with the process of the restoration itself.

The project took more than 30 months at a cost of $5 million and many are surprised at just how different the basilica looks.

"The historical appearance has been altered only for a presumed aesthetic purpose," says Professor Beck.

The white marble structure has been replaced with a more colorful version of what the Vatican is calling its "ancient splendor."

The restoration team discovered what it thought was some original color while cleaning with a sandblasting machine, Beck explains.

"They think they have the right new color. But we're not sure of that," he says. "So you've sacrificed the old aura for a new appearance, which may or may not be correct. We don't think it is correct," he adds.

Professor Beck feels that the new trend of restoring centuries-old artwork is a dangerous one. He is not enthused about this particular restoration, because of the abrasive nature with which it was done.

"You can't take a facade that is 400 years old and make it look new," he says, adding that the façade's entire 7,000 square meters were repainted.

"The real problem is in the paint; they usedÂ…a modern drier, which is probably a plastic. That didn't exist in the 17th century," he says.

The renovation abuses began with the restoration of the Sistine Chapel, which he considers to be even worse than that of the basilica, he says.

"I think that [a] good washing would be fine. It should be done regularly - and not wait 20 or 30 or 40 years," he says.

"A normal maintenance is what we think is the way to go with all of these objects and let the aging take place," he suggests.

Yet when asked what the average person would think of the basilica now compared to before the restoration, he says, "It's in the eye of the beholder."