Pity the famous masterpieces that have undergone very many restoration campaigns

In the January 16-17, 2016 issue of The Wall Street Journal, Inti Landauro writes about the forthcoming restoration of the Louvre’s “St John the Baptist” by Leonardo da Vinci (“Another Leonardo to Come Clean”). In the article Landauro mentions that, while the “Mona Lisa” does not need treatment at this time, it is inevitable that it will undergo another restoration in the future. Think of all the lesser known works (or privately owned works) which have for the most part been left alone over the centuries and pity the famous masterpieces that have undergone very many restoration campaigns, some of them unnecessary or disastrous.