A new lease of life to Emvin Cremona's works

Thirteen of the 20 original paintings by renowned artist Emvin Cremona have been restored.

Restoration works on the remaining seven is underway and the newly-restored collection is expected to be on permanent public display in the old sacristy of the Our Lady of Ta' Pinu church, in Gozo.

The project is envisaged to be completed by June 2008 in time for the 125th anniversary celebrations of the apparition of Our Lady of Ta' Pinu.

The restoration project on the 20 paintings started in October 2005 and is being supported by a Lm10,000 sponsorship from Bank of Valletta. The job is entrusted to Gozitan restorer Godwin Cutajar from Fontana.

The paintings, completed by Chev. Cremona between 1954 and 1962, were hung in the sanctuary until they were sent to Italy to be adorned with mosaics. They were subsequently stored in a closet in the chapel and eventually forgotten.

"The paintings exhibit cracks along the axis on which they were rolled and also had tears, creases and loss of paint," Mr Cutajar explained.

"Drying cracks are present in all the paintings as are nail holes along the canvas perimeter, together with a slight crease along the edge where the paint finishes, indicating that the paintings had been stretched in the past. The paintings do not show any signs that they have undergone any conservation or restoration treatments."

Scribbling, most of which is illegible, was found on most of the paintings, Mr Cutajar added.

Eighteen of the paintings are now being stretched according to the tradition of painting on canvas.

The two most recently-restored paintings are titled The Assumption and The Marriage at Cana.

Four of the paintings were found to be signed by Chev. Cremona and a painting of Christ with the Elders features his signature and is dated 1954.