Wignacourt's suit of armour restored

A unique ceremonial suit of armour covered in elaborate gold and silver ornamentation that belonged to Grand Master Alof de Wignacourt has been restored to its original splendour.

The restoration was carried out by the Military History Unit of the Museums Department together with restorers from the Royal Armouries of Leeds, and the suit of armour is displayed at the Palace Armoury.

Wignacourt, who led the Order of the Knights of St John between 1601 and 1622, is best remembered for the aqueduct he commissioned bringing potable water for the first time to Valletta from Rabat, a distance of 18.4 kilometres.

The Palace Armoury, which forms part of the President's Palace in Valletta, houses armour and arms including cannons, swords and other war instruments dating back over 400 years to the early days of the Knights of St John in Malta.

Wignacourt's suit of armour is one of a collection of five other pieces of armour that will be restored thanks to sponsorship by Bank of Valletta. One of the pieces belonged to Grand Master Martino Garzes 1595-1601, who was succeeded by Wignacourt.

BoV has made available over Lm10,000 to the armoury for the restoration as well as for the setting up of a workshop where pieces of armour can be restored.

The Wignacourt suit includes a breast plate, back plate and full arms, among other pieces. A figure of St John the Baptist, patron of the Order, is engraved at the centre of the breast plate together with a fleur de lys, the symbol on the coat of arms of the Wignacourts. Engraved and encrusted in silver on the buckler are the coat of arms of the Wignacourts surmounted by a coronet.

Assisting in the year-long restoration were Christopher Smith, Alison Draper and Suzanne Kitto from the Royal Armouries, which is the National Museum of Arms and Armour in Great Britain and one of the foremost arms and armour museums in the world.

Details about the restoration were given yesterday by Michael Stroud, head of the Military History Unit of the Museums Department at the Palace Armoury.

Mr Stroud said that prior to the restoration, the finely engraved details on Wignacourt's suit of armour were barely visible as a result of multiple layers of varnish applied as a protective film over the years.

Quoting the late Sir Guy Francis Laking, Keeper of the King's Armoury in Britain, Mr Stroud said that Wignacourt's magnificent suit of armour could be classed among the finest and better known 17th century suits of armour in the major collections in Europe.

Mr Stroud said that the suit of armour, attributed to the Milanese master metal-decorator Heronimo Spacini, must rank among the highest achievements in armour decoration.

Culture Minister Louis Galea, who was present at the armoury, said that one of his ministerial priorities was the setting up the Restoration Centre at Bighi.

He said that the first batch of students would soon be graduating in restoration studies.

"The Restoration Centre will be responsible for a radical change in the way the national heritage held in the public domain and private hands will be restored and in the manner funds for restoration will be generated.

"Keeping the national patrimony in prime condition will help the country present a more valid package to boost the tourism industry," Dr Galea said.

BoV chairman Joseph Zahra said the restoration of the suits of armour formed part of the bank's millennium project which included the restoration of Antonio Sciortino's bronze statue of Christ the King outside Valletta and the rehabilitation of Ramla l-Hamra in Gozo in collaboration with the GAIA foundation.

The BoV connection with Alof de Wignacourt will not stop with the restoration of his armour - Mr Zahra said the bank was prepared to sponsor the re-assembling of the Wignacourt arch which was one of the main features of the aqueduct at Fleur-de-Lys in Birkirkara.