The Vatican Museums has unveiled the last and most important of the restored Raphael Rooms. These are the spectacularly frescoed reception rooms of the Apostolic Palace that in some ways rival the Sistine Chapel as the peak of high Renaissance artistry.Officials said Thursday that a 10-year project to clean and restore the largest of the four Raphael Rooms uncovered a novel mural painting technique. Raphael used oil paint directly on the wall, and a grid of nails embedded in the walls to hold in place the resin surface onto which he painted. The Raphael Rooms were never fully closed off to the public during their long restoration, but they are now free of scaffolding.
