Tehran: Conservation and restoration of Pomodoro’s ‘Sfera Grande’ (Big Sphere)

On 23 August, the unveiling ceremony was held for Arnaldo Pomodoro's Sfera Grande, which had undergone conservation and restoration work lasting over a year.

The event, attended on behalf of the Embassy by Emanuele Marchi, First Secretary of the Cultural Section, helped to mark the centenary of the birth of the renowned Italian artist, who last visited Tehran over 20 years ago. The anniversary, which falls this year, was also commemorated with a stamp featuring an image of the restored sculpture, issued in a limited edition

The bronze sculpture, weighing 3,000 kilograms and measuring approximately 3 metres in diameter, forms part of a limited series of similar works, including its exact twin situated opposite the Farnesina Palace. It was created by the Italian artist in 1974 on commission from the Shah's wife, Farah Diba, and transported to Iran in 1978. The restoration of the artwork was spearheaded by the Dafineh Museums Group, a leading public body which, in addition to the Time Museum, the Iranian Art Museum, the Museum of Historical Cars of Iran , the Yazd Museum of Light and Illumination, the National Museum of Arts in Isfahan and the Ramsar Complex.