Image: Museo di Capodimonte, Naples
A restored equestrian portrait of Queen Maria Amalia of Saxony by Francesco Liani has returned to display at Museo di Capodimonte in Naples. The museum announced the work’s return in a social media post, marking the completion of conservation treatment for the painting, which depicts the queen ‘in sala, fiera, al galoppo,’ or proudly at a gallop.
The painting is identified by the museum as ‘Ritratto equestre di Maria Amalia di Sassonia’ and is attributed to Francesco Liani, whose dates are given by the museum as Fidenza 1712/14–Naples, after 1780. The post presents the restored image alongside views of the work before treatment and during the intervention, underscoring the conservation process that has now brought the portrait back into the gallery.
Maria Amalia of Saxony was an important historical figure in the Bourbon court context represented in Capodimonte’s collections, and the equestrian format gives the portrait a ceremonial and dynastic presence. While the museum’s notice does not provide a fuller curatorial statement or technical report, it makes clear that the work has been restored and placed back in the room.
Museo di Capodimonte, one of Italy’s major museum institutions, regularly uses its public channels to highlight conservation and collection updates. In this case, the museum’s message focuses on the painting itself rather than on a wider programme, drawing attention to the return of a work that has undergone visible treatment.
The post included four images: the painting after restoration, the work before restoration, a view of the intervention, and comparison images. No further details were supplied in the notice about the duration of the restoration, the conservators involved, or any related display events.
The museum’s announcement was published on 13 August 2026 and identified the artist, the title and the restoration sequence, confirming that ‘Ritratto equestre di Maria Amalia di Sassonia’ is once again back on view at Museo di Capodimonte.
