Manuela Farinelli

Manuela Farinelli (born 1960) is a Professor at the Academy of Fine Arts of Bologna, teaching Textile Processing Techniques in the Restoration program (Wooden and Painted Materials PFP2). With 29 years of professional experience since 1996, she manages the restoration laboratory at the Tapestry Museum of Bologna, handling conservation for institutional collections, private entities, and under Italian Superintendencies of Historical Artistic Heritage.

Her foundational training includes 4800 hours of specialized restoration coursework at the Tapestry Museum of Bologna (1991-1995), focusing on tapestries, carpets, and fabric conservation.

Professor Farinelli's expertise spans fiber recognition, weaving methodologies (canvas, twill, herringbone, batavia, carpet knots), dyeing techniques using natural/synthetic solutions, and historical textile art analysis. Her teaching integrates PowerPoint-based historical surveys with practical laboratory exercises, emphasizing hands-on skill development for conservation interventions on multi-material artworks.

She directs the Tapestry Museum's restoration laboratory, applying decades of experience to movable cultural heritage conservation across Italian regions while maintaining active teaching responsibilities at the academy.