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The restoration sparked a political debate involving opposition parties, cultural authorities and a church with long-standing ties to Italy's right-wing.
Italian authorities investigated a fresco in a Roman basilica after recent restoration work appeared to portray Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni as an angel or Nike, a figure from Greek mythology commonly used by Italian monarchists.
Cherubino's features were retouched by the same painter who created the original designs 20 years earlier for the Basilica of San Lorenzo in Lucina, a church historically associated with Rome's right-wing political figures.
His artistic choice sparked a public debate that quickly turned political.
Opposition members called for an investigation, demanding "clarity on all responsibilities", while the Ministry of Culture inspected the site over the weekend.
Local Ministry of Culture officials "will verify whether a request has been made for the 2,000 original decorations and whether sketches or photographs exist," as the church is the property of the Ministry of Interior.
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In an attempt to calm the situation, Meloni posted a photo of the mural on Instagram, dismissing the episode with an ironic caption: "No, I'm definitely not like an angel."
The local diocese tried to distance itself from the political overtones of the artwork on Sunday, urging people not to use religious art as a weapon.
"Images of sacred art and Christian tradition should not be subjected to inappropriate use," the office said in a statement.
But Monsignor Daniele Micheletti, the basilica's pastor, downplayed the uproar, characterizing the winged victory of San Lorenzo in Lucina as a simple matter of artistic freedom.
After all, “even Caravaggio used the face of a prostitute” in his art, he said.
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