Melchiorre Gafa’s discorso about the designs and models for the main altar of St John's Co-Cathedral, Valletta

Abstract

Melchiorre Gafa (1635-67) rose from humble beginnings to become one of the most gifted baroque sculptors. Both local and international scholars have highlighted his artistic contributions. The earliest documented reference to Gafa as a sculptor records him as one of the four sculptors who accompanied Francesco Buonamici to Sicily to work on the chapel of the Blessed Sacrament in the Cathedral in Syracuse in 1651-52. He was particularly commended and was paid generously for having carved the twelve putti and six heads of seraphim figures placed on the columns and the four larger putti placed on the portals leading to the two sacristies. In this document he is referred to as Marcello Caffa, aged sixteen.