‘The Virgin of Divine Grace,’ the titular painting at the Capuchins Church in Victoria Gozo has been meticulously restored through the support of Bank of Valletta.

The painting, attributed with great certainty to Maltese painter Stefano Erardi (1630 – 1716) was commissioned by the Canons of the Matrice of Gozo (today known as the Cathedral of Gozo). The painting commemorates a very destructive earthquake in January 1693 which resulted in no loss in life and, beneath the Virgin May and Child is a solemn procession approaching the medieval chapel on the site of today’s church.

Over three hundred years of exposure to the elements, an enlargement to fit the stone frame in the present church and various punctures for crowns which were stolen and replaced again took their toll on the pictorial layer and the structure of the painting.

Charles Azzopardi, Manager Marketing at Bank of Valletta met Fr Karm Dimech, Curator of the Church of Divine Grace to view the newly restored painting in its rightful place above the main altar.

“Bank of Valetta believes in the importance of preserving works of art to help drive cultural awareness and understanding,” said Mr Azzopardi. “With this project, we aim to elevate understanding of the need for conservation support, while at the same time providing support for works that are in danger of degeneration.”

An information board explaining the significance of the painting, its history and a synopsis of the restoration project has been placed inside the church.

The restoration works were undertaken by ‘Prevarti Art Restoration and Conservation.’

Permalink: The Virgin of Divine Grace’ restored to former glory