BOV Restoration of St Catherine of Italy Project in Full Swing
Consolidation process under way
The restoration works on the cupola of the St Catherine of Italy Church in Valletta is in full swing. This project is fully financed by Bank of Valletta and will see this project by Mattia Preti returned to its former glory.
The Bank of Valletta sponsorship agreement was signed in March 2009, following which, a scientific team from acclaimed firm Giuseppe Mantella Restauri, under the direction of Giuseppe Mantella, performed extensive studies on the cupola to determine the best restoration techniques to be adopted.
An in-depth scientific study of the Cupola was carried out to better understand the materials used and techniques applied on the original works. Thermographic analysis revealed the levels of humidity in the wall and interventions on the Cupola structure. These revealed two windows which were subsequently blocked and became an integral part of the dome. The Thermographic analysis also revealed the preparatory layers and the composition of the pigments.
The artistic works on the cupola were completed during the 16th Century. The Church had to endure centuries of exposure to natural elements, infiltration of rainwater, damage suffered during World War II as well as damage through seismic activity. The pictorial layers (strata) are detached from the limestone cupola in a high percentage, around 60% of the whole area of the cupola. The consolidation process is under way where a consolidant is injected by syringe behind the painted layers to consolidate the surface of the stone structure of the cupola and then to attach the pictorial layers to the consolidated stone surface.
“In some places, the layers of paint are so fragile that a layer of special tissue paper is attached to an area of the painting to prevent it from crumbling to pieces during the injection of the consolidant”, said Giuseppe Mantella during a visit to the chapel by Bank of Valletta Chairman Roderick Chalmers and BOV CEO Tonio Depasquale.
“Consolidation is the first and often hardest step when dealing with the restoration of an artefact especially when it has been damaged through the passage of centuries” continued Mantella. “The scientific analysis revealed a complex stone structure that has undergone a lot of modifications during its life. A historical research is also a very important step which brings to light techniques of past restoration interventions that help the restorer to better understand the techniques and consequently to formulate the proper methodology of restoration”.
The works are being carried out by an international team from Giuseppe Mantella restoration under the direction of Giuseppe Mantella himself. The team also includes young Maltese restorer Charlotte Bellizzi.
