Paintings by Filippo Venuti undergoing restoration in Gozo

A temporary exhibition, highlighting the life and artistic works of Filippo Venuti, was being held at Il-Hagar – Heart of Gozo Museum in Victoria. Venuti lived in the Maltese Islands for nine years between 1894 and 1903.

The exhibition focused on four paintings of the four Evangelists and a bozzetto featuring the Apotheosis of St George which was commissioned for the decoration of the octagonal drum of the dome of St George’s Basilica in Victoria.

The project was entrusted to Sara Mattioli, an Italian conservator with a vast experience in the sector and is financially being supported by Bank of Valletta.

Addressing the opening of the exhibition by Fondazzjoni Belt Victoria, Charles Azzopardi, executive PR & Marketing at Bank of Valletta, spoke about the bank’s commitment to support important projects of this calibre, with the aim of preserving the artistic heritage so that future generations will inherit these precious works in a better state.

The restoration is taking place at a laboratory within the museum itself. The process includes cleaning and removal of the old varnish layer and retouching, removing of the old in-fills and consolidation of the paint layer. After an intermediate application of varnish, the layers will be re-integrated and a final varnish application will close off the process.

Photographic documentation is carried out before, during and after the restoration of each piece.