Cotoner bust

Reference is made to recent correspondence (The Sunday Times, December 31, January 7) about the bronze bust of Grand Master Cotoner which was restored at Heritage Malta's Conservation Division in Bighi and returned to Fondazzjoni Wirt Artna last December 15.

The painstaking conservation work, which lasted just over two years, was carried out by a team of Heritage Malta conservators and students from the Institute for Conservation and Management of Cultural Heritage (ICMCH).

Mr Cauchi, who wrote in first, was one of the students working on this project.

Although it is sometimes the case that bronze and other outdoor statuary is replaced by copies, this is by no means a general rule. When conditions permit, it is preferred to return the original to the context for which it had been designed.

Regarding the Cotoner bust, FWA expressed its wish to have the original bust returned to its original location. As such, all conservation work undertaken was aimed at achieving this goal. In parallel, recommendations were forwarded for work to be done on the Notre Dame Gate to ensure that no risks were taken during the return of the bronze to its niche and for the future preservation of the bust.

This restoration project was the result of Heritage Malta and FWA working together to ensure that the Cotoner bust would enjoy the best possible treatment and returned to its original context for the benefit of all.