An altarpiece by Mattia Preti in the Church of St Francis of Assisi in Valletta, painted in the artist’s later years, will soon be undergoing conservation and restoration.
‘The Preti Project’, as the expansive initiative has been named, will be carried out and funded by ReCoop, a co-operative that offers conservation, restoration, monitoring, consultancy and art-historical services, on the occasion of its 20th anniversary.
The painting depicts The Virgin and Child handing the girdle to St Francis with St Claire of Assisi and St Bonaventura of Bagnoreggio.
The purpose of the project stems from RcCoop’s founding principle: “Preserving the heritage left to us by our forefathers, for it to be passed on to future generations.”
This prompted the company to give something back to the people “for the sake of our nation’s identity, education and culture.”, said Roderick Abela, ReCoop Conservator-Restorer and Director.
The painting is in a dire state of conservation, with heavily oxidised varnish, grime and extensive deformations that severely hinder its readability within its space.
ReCoop intends to restore the painting’s distinct palette, which was typical of Preti’s late manner and imbued his late works with an aura and deep transcendence.
The project will be overseen by a scientific committee composed of Abela, Andrea Depasquale, Daniela Apap Bologna, Paul Muscat, Fr Colin Sammut, Fra George Micallef and Prof. Keith Sciberras. Their role is to oversee the entire process of conservation and restoration, with the intention of achieving the best possible results in terms of both methodology and research.
The painting will also serve as a point of departure and source of inspiration for a contemporary art project – part of a tripartite initiative that merges the pillars of conservation and art and will be announced shortly.