The Chapelle Ardente at St John's

Although I do tend to agree with Dr Ray Bondin (The Sunday Times, April 24) that his article on the Chapelle Ardente was not meant to be an academic discussion on who wrote or did what about Romano Carapecchia, the fact remains that this article did not do justice to the results of my research work on the subject, which I commenced in 1974, to be exact, 24 years before Dr Bondin wrote his thesis (presumably he means dissertation) under my supervision and which was ultimately fully explained in my 1999 book on Carapecchia.

In my contribution of April 17, I simply wanted to correct the unwarranted injustice that has been done to me. I am pleased to note that in his letter, Dr Bondin has now properly acknowledged my work on Carapecchia, which for some reason best known to him, he did not do in the first place, despite his knowledge about it.

With reference to drawing 91 in the Courtauld Album, I wish to inform Dr Bondin that I had collected all the necessary evidence, graphical and textual, about the subject after personally meeting Dr Alan Braham in the National Gallery in London in 1974. I also wish to draw Dr Bondin's attention to the representation of a mitre in this sketch drawing indicating its association with ecclesiastical authority and not with a Grand Master of the Order of Malta.

Since this subject of catafalque design in the Baroque age is indeed a complex one in the context of the design of similar ephemeral artefacts for Popes, princes, queens, cardinals and other distinguished personalities in 17th century Rome, I am planning to contribute in the near future an academic paper about this and other still unpublished matters concerning Carapecchia.

Needless to say, when I do so, I shall send a copy of my findings to Dr Bondin in view of his obvious interest in the work of this great Baroque architect who, perhaps more than anyone else, managed to transform Valletta into a truly Baroque city during the period 1707-1738.

After all, it is academic research that gives value to our heritage and as such provides the inspiration and forms the firm basis of professional restoration work. In this respect, I disagree entirely with the first ten words of Dr Bondin's statement "What is important is not who did what and when (my italics) but that we as a country ensure that this unique masterpiece, and I repeat that it is absolutely unique, be conserved as an important piece of national heritage."

I firmly believe the one cannot restore the Chapelle Ardente at St John's properly unless one has research-based information as to who was Carapecchia, what was his design philosophy and what was his operational context in early 18th century Europe - in short, quite about everything that contributes to the underlying 'spirit' of this remarkable artefact, which must necessarily be taken into consideration in any 'professional' as opposed to a merely 'technical' restoration approach.

Past experiences all over the world have shown that without the academic input of researchers, the restoration of historic buildings and artefacts can become a superficial and very dangerous exercise.