Experts attribute painting at Palazzo Falson to Caravaggio

A painting which some experts attribute to Caravaggio is among a number of works of art by such masters as Ribera, Murillo and Preti that will be on display at Palazzo Falson, in Mdina, when the landmark mediaeval monument is opened to the public in March.

The imposing building is being restored by the Malta heritage foundation Fondazzjoni Patrimonju Malti. Work has been going on for well over four years and is scheduled for completion in the first quarter of next year.

Foundation chairman Maurice de Giorgio said the restoration works gradually revealed the original structure of the place. Three additional wells came to light and a number of original doorways and archways were discovered.

The original 13th century palazzo only consisted of the ground floor with a courtyard. The first floor was added in the 15th century when additional archways were introduced in order to strengthen the building. The idea is to display an architectural model showing each additional intervention in different colours.

Upon completion of the restoration project, Palazzo Falson will house 45 collections covering armour, lithographs, porcelain, fans, tools, cutlery, furniture, documents, a library of about 4,500 historic books and a number of prestigious paintings.

When the project started, the heritage foundation had collected 3,800 items that were all photographed and expertly catalogued so that a record of all the artefacts inside the building could be kept.

Palazzo Falson - which in 1531 had welcomed the first Grand Master of the Order, Philippe Villiers de l' Isle-Adam - will also have a gift shop and a rooftop cafeteria from where patrons will be able to enjoy a breathtaking view of a quarter of the island.

"The restoration of Palazzo Falson is a truly remarkable project that has managed to bring back this important mediaeval landmark in Mdina to its former glory," Bank of Valletta chairman Roderick Chalmers told Mr de Giorgio when he visited the monument.

Bank of Valletta is an associate patron of Fondazzjoni Patrimonju Malti, a title recognising the substantial support the bank has extended over the past years towards the Palazzo Falson project. BOV has also financed the restoration of the façade through a donation of Lm28,000.

"Our financial commitment was not only due to a long lasting collaboration with Fondazzjoni Patrimonju Malti as one of its major partners but also because of our belief in supporting projects that help preserve the cultural and historic heritage of our country," Mr Chalmers said.