One of Malta’s most important Early Renaissance paintings is to be restored following new light shed on its provenance by the Department of Art at the University of Malta.

The painting, an oils on board called Enthroned Madonna and Child, at the Żejtun parish church, has been researched and studied by assistant lecturer Charlene Vella.

First published by Mario Buhagiar in 1979 as a copy of a lost Early Renaissance original by the Seville artist and Knight of Malta, Pedro Nuñes de Villavivencio, Ms Vella’s research has traced the painting back to the 16th century and established that it was restored by Villavicencio, who added his signature and date –1672.

Tests on paint samples carried out by scientists engaged by ReCoop Restoration Laboratories (Malta) have identified Early Renaissance pigments. At the same time, infrared and ultraviolet photographs also undertaken at ReCoop established that Villavicencio intervened heavily on the painting.

ReCoop will remove the Villavicencio over painting but will preserve his signature and date, in which he describes himself as Capitano Fra. Prof. Buhagiar and Ms Vella believe there is good stylistic and iconographic evidence to attribute the painting to the Messina School of Antonello, which had close connections with Malta. The painting can, in fact, be traced back to the 15th century, and was originally the central panel of a triptych in the old parish church of Żejtun known as San Girgor, the side panels of which have been lost.

The Department of History of Art at the Faculty of Arts, University of Malta, is directed by Prof. Buhagiar.

Banif Bank is sponsoring the restoration.