The Malta Society of Arts has unveiled the restored Sacred Heart of Jesus (1943) by Maltese artist Anton Inglott, following an extensive conservation project carried out by Prevarti with the support of the HSBC Malta Foundation.
The painting, which forms part of the MSA’s permanent collection, is now on public display in the Chapel at Palazzo de La Salle, the Society’s historic seat in Valletta.
Painted on plywood during the Second World War, the work had suffered from natural ageing and earlier restoration interventions. The conservation process involved careful cleaning and stabilisation, including the removal of discoloured varnish and surface deposits. This has revealed Inglott’s original colour palette and expressive handling of light, long obscured by time.
One of the most striking results of the restoration is the renewed clarity of the light radiating from Christ’s heart, a bold, modern feature that reflects Inglott’s progressive approach to religious imagery. Research carried out during the project also revealed that the inscription beneath the painting was originally gilded. The frame was subsequently treated and the gilding reinstated using traditional techniques, restoring an important symbolic and visual detail.
When Sacred Heart of Jesus was donated to the Malta Society of Arts in 1943, it sparked immediate controversy. Inglott’s depiction of Christ as a stylised, dark-skinned figure, and his replacement of the traditional heart with an abstract flood of light, was seen at the time as conflicting with Catholic iconographic norms. The consecration ceremony was postponed indefinitely and the painting was relegated to storage in the Society’s basement.
The work was ultimately rejected in favour of a more conventional Sacred Heart commission by Inglott’s close friend Emvin Cremona. Today, both paintings are displayed in the MSA Chapel, facing each other at opposite ends of the space in a symbolic arrangement.
Inglott’s painting was later rediscovered by a new generation of researchers and curators and has since come to be recognised as a masterpiece of Maltese modern art.
Speaking at the unveiling, Myriam Spiteri Debono highlighted the importance of conservation projects in safeguarding Malta’s artistic heritage, noting that such works also reflect the evolution of society and artistic thought over time.
“This restoration has allowed us to rediscover Inglott’s original artistic intent, particularly his innovative use of light. It represents an important step in preserving a significant work within Malta’s artistic and cultural heritage,” said Head of Restoration and founder of Prevarti Pierre Bugeja.
HSBC Bank Malta chairman Manfred Galdes said the initiative went beyond conservation, describing it as an effort to preserve “a vital chapter of Malta’s modern cultural history”.
MSA Acting President Roderick Camilleri described Inglott’s work as “a landmark of contemporary sacred art in Malta”, adding that its restoration reaffirmed the Society’s commitment to cultural stewardship.
The official unveiling of the restored painting, together with the Malta Society of Arts’ Gold Medal Ceremony for 2025 honouring Darrin Zammit Lupi, will be broadcast on TVM+ on Friday 20 February 2026 at 9.15pm.
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