Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1281593
maltatoday | SUNDAY • 23 AUGUST 2020 7 ART Restoration on Comino titular painting finalised ANOTHER restoration and conservation project support- ed by Bank of Valletta has been concluded over the past days. The titular painting of the Comi- no Chapel is back in its place in full glory to be admired by pres- ent and future generations as part of Bank of Valletta's corpo- rate responsibility towards the Maltese community after a year- long process of extensive resto- ration at PrevArti's workshop in Mosta. The painting depicting The Return of the Holy Family from Egypt had to undergo a rigorous and meticulous pro- cess which required detailed attention due to the bad state of the canvas and the painting itself. Restorer Pierre Bugeja explained that the painting had darkened over the years while a major intervention in the past proved to be detrimental to the layers of paint mainly due to the use of hard metal. Some parts at the lower end of the painting had missing orig- inal paint which had to be re- touched from scratch. Art Historian Dr Sandro Debono said that from research he has conducted, all roads are leading to Carlo Zimach as the artist who depicted this piece of art. Zimach who was a priest from Żebbuġ (Malta), is known to have worked closely with the Parish of Nadur, where a num- ber of paintings attributed to him are still found within this Basilica. Debono said that Carlo Zi- mach was inspired by an etch- ing of an important painting by Giovanni Battista Paggi at the Santa Maria degli Angeli Church in Genova, Italy. The chaplain of the Comino Chapel, Mgr Joseph Attard, was delighted to welcome back the painting. He had identified its bad state and the immediate need for restoration as soon as he was appointed chaplain to Comino about two years ago. PR & Marketing Executive at Bank of Valletta, Charles Azzo- pardi, expressed satisfaction on the completion of yet anoth- er BOV project. This project brought to light a part of our heritage which was relatively unknown by the public, on the tiny island of Comino. Restored Painting at PrevArti Pierre Bugeja at Workshop Painting in place