Research
Leading restoration and research projects relating to Late Medieval and Renaissance Art at the University of Malta and overseeing diagnostic tests and restoration of Renaissance paintings by Antonello da Messina’s followers on Malta (Antonio de Saliba and Salvo d’Antonio) and the sculptor Antonello Gagini.
Antonello Gagini
Madonna and Child, Carrara marble, 1504, Church of Santa Maria di Gesù (Ta’ Ġieżu), Rabat, Malta
This Renaissance sculpture was commissioned by the Maltese Observant Franciscans as the first work of art for their newly built church in Rabat, Malta, on 23 February 1504. It was commissioned from the Palermitan sculptor Antonello Gagini during his stay in Messina. The sculpture was subjected to scientific analysis, conservation and restoration that was entrusted to PrevArti Ltd. A 3D scan of the sculpture before and after restoration is available on www.sketchfab.com. This project was a collaboration between the Observant Franciscans from the Convent of St Mary of Jesus in Rabat, Charlene Vella and Timmy Gambin from the University of Malta, and made possible thanks to funds obtained from the Majjistral Action Group Foundation under the LEADER Programme 2014-2020 and the Malta Arts Council Restoration Funding Scheme. The project was also studied as part of Jamie Farrugia’s undergraduate thesis research.
Salvo d’Antonio
Predella with Christ the Salvator Mundi and Apostles, panel, 1510, Mdina Cathedral Museum, Mdina, Malta
This painting was the predella or lowermost section of an altarpiece that was commissioned in Messina from Sicilian Renaissance artist Salvo d’Antonio (Antonello da Messina’s nephew) in 1505. The altarpiece served as the titular altarpiece of the church of the Benedictine nuns in Mdina, but only two paintings from the whole are known to survive. The aim of this conservation operation was to safeguard the panel and to better appreciate the high artistic level of its execution, while also shedding light on the artist by whom so very little survives. The intervention was entrusted to ReCoop Ltd. This project would not have been possible if it were not for the interest and dedicated work of both the management of the Mdina Cathedral Museum, and Prof. Mario Buhagiar (University of Malta), as well as the help of a private sponsor, Yulia Vasina.
Deposition and Madonna and Child with Angels
Panel, 1515, Church of Santa Maria di Gesù (Ta’ Ġieżu), Rabat, Malta
Following the commission of the Madonna and Child Gagini sculpture, the Maltese Observant Franciscans turned once again to a Messinese workshop to commission their titular altarpiece. The commission was entrusted to Antonio de Saliba (another of Antonello da Messina’s nephews in 1510) and consisted of seventeen paintings of which only two survive in the church today. These two paintings were diagnostically tested, conserved and restored by ReCoop. The paintings were thoroughly cleaned and several layers of additional, non-original paint layers were removed in order for the original paint layers to be better appreciated.
This project was made possible thanks to the generous support of the University of Malta, Banif Bank Malta, Atlas Insurance PCC Limited and Island Insurance Brokers.
The Soccorso Triptych
Panel, late 1490s ?, Mdina Cathedral Museum, Mdina, Malta
This triptych is one of only three “almost complete” altarpieces by Antonio de Saliba to survive. This altarpiece was commissioned by the heirs of Pietro Vaccaro for the family’s private altar in Mdina’s old Cathedral. It was conserved, restored, and 3D scanned. The paintings were first studied diagnostically and inspected under UV light, which revealed large sections of overpainted areas. Past interventions heavily altered the Virgin’s mantle, with the addition of completely reconstructed gilded floral and star motifs, as well as an uncharacteristic black outline to the figures.
The 3D scanning technique has been carried out locally on archaeological sites and on sculptural objets d’art, but this was the first painting to be assessed in this way. The project was entrusted to PrevArti Ltd and Davide Melica from the Consulenza e Diagnostica per il Restauro e la Conservazione. This project was made possible thanks to the generous support of the University of Malta, the Mdina Cathedral Museum and the Malta Airport Foundation.
Two Small Panels with Apostles
Panel, 1515, Private Collection, Malta
Two small predella panels from the 1515 Observant Franciscan Rabat altarpiece survive in a private collection and have been studied, conserved and restored by PrevArti Ltd. These paintings portraying Christ and some Apostles would have formed the predella or the lowermost section of the three-tiered altarpiece along with another five similar paintings. The entire altarpiece was originally composed of seventeen paintings, two of which survive in the church today.
This project was made possible thanks to the generous support of the private collectors and the University of Malta.
FULL LIST OF PROJECTS
2023 – present, overseeing conservation and restoration at PrevArti Ltd of two post-Byzantine paintings: an icon from Birgu Church of St Laurence and crucifix from the Parish Church of St George, Qormi.
2022 – present, two paintings portraying St Louis of Toulouse and St Anthony of Padua from a private collection attributed to Antonio de Saliba, conservation and restoration by PrevArti Ltd.
2022 - 2023, GPR scanning of the remains of the cave and cave-church dedicated to San Niklaw in Mellieħa with Dr Keith Buhagiar and Prof Sebastiano d’Amico.
2022 - 2023, GPR scanning of the Church of St Agatha, Rabat, a site of great artistic and cultural significance and many layers of history, including the catacomb complex with Prof Sebastiano d’Amico. and Prof JoAnn Cassar and their teams.
2021 - 2023, two predella panel paintings of the Resurrected Christ with St John the Evangelist and St Paul and another portraying St Andrew and another Apostle from a private collection attributed to Antonio de Saliba, conservation and restoration by PrevArti Ltd.
2020 – 2021, 1504 Madonna and Child sculpture by Antonello Gagini, Ta’ Ġieżu, Rabat, Malta, conservation and restoration by PrevArti Ltd.
2012 – 2013, Madonna And Child with Angels and Deposition paintings by Antonio de Saliba, Ta’ Ġieżu,, Rabat, Malta, conservation and restoration by ReCoop Ltd.
2010 – 2012, Madonna Adoring the Child painting attributed to Antonio de Saliba, now at the Parish Museum, Żejtun, conservation and restoration by ReCoop Ltd.
c. 2009, with Professor Mario Buhagiar, Restoration of mullioned windows on the facade of Casa Isabella, Mdina