Restored Paladini paintings reattached

An important stage has been completed in the restoration project of the Paladini Room at the Palace in Valletta - the reattachment of the paintings.

The restoration project started five years ago, and was considered to be an "impossible task" at the time, Valletta and Floriana Rehabilitation Project executive co-ordinator Ray Bondin said yesterday.

"The reattachment of the detached wall paintings proved to be too difficult for many conservators who were sent to draw up a report. However, our partners - the University of London's Courtauld Institute of Art and the Getty Conservation Institute - agreed to do the project.

"We can now look back with satisfaction that the painting has been saved," he said at a workshop.

The workshop reviewed the work done and allowed the conservation community in Malta to see what methodology has been used.

The last part of the project will be to restore the painted wooden ceiling.

"The project has been exciting from day one, and we have introduced hitherto unused methodology that has attracted international attention."

He said that in the meantime other paintings had been discovered in between the canvas side of the painting and the corridor. These were now being studied.