Art students from San Anton School spent a week in the Italian city of Florence, renowned for its rich artistic heritage, engaged in a full programme of activities that included visits to all the major art museums, on-site sketching, photography and a day spent at SACI - Studio Art Centres International.

The visit was the result of contacts made over a year ago during celebrations of the 400th anniversary of Caravaggio's stay in Malta, when San Anton School art students mounted an exhibition of works inspired by the great Italian painter. Among those who visited the exhibition was Roberta Lapucci of the Department of Conservation. Prof. Lapucci, who had visited Malta in conjuction with the exhibition of the Żejtun painting of the Martyrdom of St Catherine, expressed her interest in having the students visit the art centre and participate in a series of workshops.

Almost a year later, under the direction of Alison Zammit Endrich, head of the Senior School Art Department, a group of art students travelled to Florence.

Prof. Lapucci led the students to the church of Santa Maria Novella, describing in detail the restoration and conservation of many of the artworks found within.

The rest of the day was spent aiding in the restoration, conservation and cleaning of paintings as well as working with the archaeology department and learning the gilding technique.

Tonio Fenech, president of the Caravaggio Foundation, noted that his foundation was interested in creating dialogue with schools from the very beginning.

He said the foundation was particularly pleased with how San Anton School and its students took a proactive approach to interact with it and, thus, the foundation was happy to have been the catalyst for them to have created synergies of their own with SACI in Florence.