More digging beneath St John's is utter madness for restorer

Sante Guido, an Italian restorer who has been working on the restoration of St John's Co-Cathedral for some 12 years, thinks it would be "utter madness" to further excavate the area beneath the cathedral in Valletta in order to open a museum.

Having personally visited the vast underground area beneath the cathedral, occupied by a number of relatively dry cisterns, Prof. Guido, from the firm Sante Guido Restauro e Conservazione di Opere d'Arte, however, feels it was a pity for such a space - which is testimony to Malta's cultural heritage - to remain unutilised.

Prof. Guido, together with his colleague Giuseppe Mantella, said that although they have been working on the various restoration projects in the co-cathedral for years, the Foundation of St John's "never" consulted them in any way with regard to the proposed museum extension project.

In an interview with The Times, the Italian restorers and editors of a lavish new publication tracing the restoration projects of St John's Co-Cathedral financed through the Italian-Maltese protocol, highlighted the multifaceted projects entrusted to them.

Their book is titled Storie Di Restauri Nella Chiesa Conventuale Di San Giovanni Battista A La Valletta: La Cappella Di Santa Caterina Della Lingua D'Italia E Le Committenze Del Gran Maestro Gregorio Carafa.

Through the extensive research conducted, a number of interesting facts have been unearthed. Vital information has been discovered about the methods adopted by Mattia Preti for the decoration of the vault of St John's Cathedral. It was presumed that Preti had a number of assistants and scalpellini (stone-cutters) working with him. However, until the relevant documentation was discovered, this was mere speculation and not fact.

Their work also revealed that, as early as the project-proposal of the vault, Preti was aware that he would be using oils on the surface and not the more customary fresco technique. This has been certified through a document in which Preti specified that he required 300 litres of linseed oil before commencing the project. Documents pertinent to the costs and timeframes of the project are also included in the new publication.

This book, together with a collection of documents published in 2005 by archivist John Debono, Art And Artisans In St John's And Other Churches In The Maltese Islands, ca. 1650-1800: Stone Carving, Marble, Bells, Clocks And Organs, sheds further light on the work methods of Il Calabrese (as Preti is also known).

Another important aspect was the revelation that the "white patches" on the walls of the cathedral, previously thought to have been caused by calcium, were due to high levels of nitrates (salt) brought about through the rising humidity and through the decomposition of flesh from the corpses buried below the temple's floor. Prof. Guido and Mr Mantella said that the humidity was also due to the levels of condensation resulting from the high influx of visitors.

Asked to comment on future rehabilitation aspects and embellishment projects for Valletta, Prof. Guido said he would like to see the old Opera House reconstructed as it was originally; Pjazza San Ġorġ ought to be restored to how it once was - complete with the Neptune fountain, part of it now located at the Grandmaster's Palace courtyard and another part at the Argotti Gardens, in Floriana; and for the underground cisterns beneath Valletta to be restored and developed constructively.

Prof. Guido also mentioned a few upcoming projects he is working on. He wishes to restore 10 of Preti's key paintings found in Malta in order to take them abroad for a major exhibition. He feels the final selection of works would showcase and represent Preti's artistic accomplishments in Malta.

Another exhibition is scheduled to take place in Rome highlighting Maltese sculptor Melchiorre Gafà.

The book by Prof. Guido and Mr Mantella is available for purchase online from www.midseabooks.com or by contacting the publishers at admin@midseabooks.com.