The Minister for Gozo and Planning, Clint Camilleri, announced that through a collaboration between his Ministry and the Ta’ Sannat Parish Church, the 17th century oil on canvas painting “St. Joseph with the Child Jesus” by the renowned Mattia Preti has been restored.
This painting is housed in the Ta’ Sannat Parish Church.
This project, carried out over the past months, was carried out by a team of professional restorers to breathe new life into one of the island’s artistic and cultural treasures while ensuring its preservation for future generations.
Minister Camilleri commented that this Mattia Preti painting is, to our knowledge, the fourth one housed in our parishes. He said that through this restoration, this painting will be able to be enjoyed much better by the public and by all those who visit the Gozitan island. He said that in his view, “our churches, in addition to their primary religious purpose, have a great deal of historical heritage that is important for us all to appreciate.”
This restoration process included meticulous documentation, advanced conservation techniques, and careful aesthetic integration – all aimed at protecting the integrity and beauty of this unique artwork. This included cleaning the centuries-old varnish, to restoring previous damage, to manufacturing a replica frame that respects the painting’s historical context.
The Ministry for Gozo and Planning wrote in its statement that every step carried out during these restoration works “was carried out with great precision and with full respect for Preti’s original vision.”
Minister Clint Camilleri concluded by thanking the restoration team for their professionalism and dedication. He affirmed that the Ministry remains fully committed to supporting and funding restoration projects for the benefit of both today’s society and future generations.
