The conservation and restoration project has been completed on two large paintings located in the Basilica of the Visitation, in Gharb, Gozo.
The restoration work, at a cost of €40,000, with 80% co-financing from European Union funds, was inaugurated by Minister for Gozo Clint Camilleri and Parliamentary Secretary for European Funds Chris Bonett.
Also present for the inauguration was the leader of the project, Noel Formosa, Archpriest Rev. Trevor Sultana and the Administrative Secretary of the Curia in Gozo, Anthony Bezzina.
The restoration work, for which the parishioners also contributed, included the altar painting, finished in 1688 by 17th century Portuguese artist, Emanuel Pereira, showing the Virgin of Rosary. The frame was also restored.
The altar painting, attributed to the school of Mattia Preti (17th century), which shows the Virgin and Child with Souls in Purgatory, was also cleaned.
Over the years, both paintings had been exposed to high levels of elements which had resulted in a state of deterioration.
Parliamentary Secretary Chris Bonett said that, “it is a priority for this Government to keep improving Gozo’s competitiveness in the tourism sector through the promotion, protection and preservation of natural, cultural and historical assets, which are intended to further improve the Gozitan cultural tourism experience, while also generating more tourist influx to this island.”
Minister Clint Camilleri said that, “the restoration of the cultural and historical heritage on the island of Gozo is important both in order to preserve the heritage left to us by our forefathers and also to continue attracting quality tourists who come to our country to enjoy this heritage.”
This restoration is part of a series of restorations [1] carried out under the ERDF project.05.102 – Strengthening the ecclesiastical and artistic cultural heritage of Gozo for present and future generations.
For this project, which cost €2.24 million, €1.7 million was allocated from the European Regional Development Fund, under the Priority Axis 5 programme.
It was explained that this programme is dedicated to the protection of the environment with an emphasis on the investment in natural and cultural assets.