Michael Gallagher has just been appointed the deputy director for conservation at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. But soon after he joined the New York institution 13 years ago, he says, a particular Italian Renaissance work caught his eye. He felt that The Entombment (1554) by Moretto da Brescia “was one of the saddest-looking pictures in the collection—in terms of its condition and appearance—yet I always felt it was just a truly great painting”.

Only recently has he had the chance to work on it: after more than a year in the studio, the restored painting will be back on view later this month, as the collection undergoes a substantial rehang while the museum renovates its skylights.