‘The Martyrdom of St Lawrence’, the largest painting by Italian artist Mattia Preti in Malta is undergoing restoration through the support of Bank of Valletta.

The titular painting at the Church of St Lawrence in Vittoriosa was commissioned by Don Antonino Testaferrata in 1689. Measuring an astounding 4 metres by 5.70 metres, it is a chiaroscuro rendition of the macabre death of St Lawrence on a gridiron.

Members of the bank's board of directors and management paid a visit to the studio where the conservation process by Recoop Limited is underway. They were greeted by Vittoriosa Parish Priest Fr Karm Busuttil.

"Over the last 300 years, the painting’s canvas has lost its strength and sagging is clearly visible on the lower part of the painting," said Recoop conservator Paul Muscat. "As a consequence, the paint layer is being pushed off the canvas, with losses being observed in various areas of the painting."

Following a thorough cleaning of the painting, the massive wood stretcher will be amended to allow periodic stretching of the painting, continued Mr Muscat.

The losses will be fully integrated and various details, especially the structures in the background, which are presently hidden under layers of grime that have built up over the centuries, will once again be clearly visible.’

"The Vittoriosa Parish church is a treasure trove of artistic masterpieces, but Preti’s largest painting is the highlight of our collection,’ said Fr Busuttil. ‘The way the paintbrush was applied is typical of the Calabrese’s, as Preti is affectionately known. In fact it matches his paintings in the later years when he used a minimum of strokes to depict his subjects.

"As a bank that can trace its roots within the Maltese community for more than two centuries, we look upon supporting the conservation of Malta’s rich cultural heritage as an integral part of our corporate responsibility," said Charles Azzopardi, Head PR & Marketing at Bank of Valletta.