Boston’s Old North Church, an iconic site in American history, is unveiling an extraordinary part of its colonial heritage: painted angels covered up with layers of white paint for more than a century. The restoration project, led by renowned conservator Gianfranco Pocobene, aims to bring these long-lost murals back to life.
The angels, originally painted in the 1730s by church member John Gibbs, adorned the walls and arches of the church’s nave. These cherubic figures, with childlike faces and elegant wings, were integral to the church’s vibrant and colorful interior. But in a renovation in 1912, the murals were covered over with seven layers of white paint, turning the church’s formerly vibrant aesthetic into a bare, minimalist one.
Pocobene and his team had a massive challenge: removing the thick layers of paint without damaging the 300-year-old artwork. Using solvent gels to soften the paint and delicate tools like plastic spatulas and cotton swabs, they painstakingly uncovered the angels’ intricate details. “It’s been a revelation,” Pocobene said during an online talk hosted by Old North Illuminated, the nonprofit overseeing the church’s preservation. “These are some of the most fascinating works of colonial art I’ve encountered in my 40 years of conservation.”
The restoration began with an interior paint study in 2017, which confirmed the presence of the murals. Early photographs and historical records had hinted at their existence, but their condition remained unknown. Initial plans to uncover only a few angels changed when the team discovered that each figure was uniquely painted. “Each angel has its own personality — different expressions, hairstyles, and poses,” Pocobene explained.
Founded in 1723 as Christ Church, Boston’s oldest standing church is renowned for its role in the American Revolution. It was from Old North’s steeple that Paul Revere signaled the British army’s approach on April 18, 1775, with the famous “one if by land, two if by sea” lanterns. While the church’s Revolutionary legacy is celebrated, its connection to Boston’s colonial Anglican community and the slave trade are also part of its history.
“Old North was a beacon of liberty, but it was also shaped by the realities of colonial society,” said Emily Spence, associate director of education at Old North Illuminated. She noted that the colorful interior, now being restored, reflected the identity of its early Anglican congregants in contrast to the austere Puritan churches dominating Boston at the time.
The angels weren’t the only decorative work Gibbs provided; other elements included festoons of foliage and fruit, as well as murals on the church’s original organ case and altar panel. These decorations, along with the angels, conveyed a sense of divine presence, offering worshippers a glimpse of “the courts of heaven,” said Rev. Matthew Cadwell, the church’s vicar.
The murals of eight of the 20 angels have been fully unveiled, and the remaining murals in the angel series will be revealed by spring 2025. For visitors, the restored artworks provide a rare opportunity to experience the church as its founders intended. “It amazes me to stand in a space surrounded by original decorations,” said conservator Corrine Long. “When you strip away the layers of white paint, you restore not just the art, but the spirit and history of the place.
More information: The Old North Church & Historic Site
