Despite the wealth of beautiful art from the Renaissance, it is a time often overlooked in Malta. In order to reveal the incredible history of these great artworks, senior lecturer with the Department of Art and Art History at the University of Malta Dr Charlene Vella and student Jamie Farrugia combined art and science techniques to look beneath the layers of paint.
The researchers examined traces of pigments applied to Antonello Gagini’s Madonna and Child, a mammoth 380kg sculpture, and found evidence of the original paint and at least two repaintings. Although the statue appears white at first glance, the innovative science techniques show that much of its surface would have been gilded or coloured in green and blue.
Thanks to the LEADER programme and this ground-breaking work, the University of Malta researchers were able to uncover over 500 years’ worth of history preserved in the statue’s multiple layers.
The full version of the article can be read in THINK Issue 35 or accessed online. This edition focuses on the concept of preservation. Preservation centers around conservation and protection, whether it's of our environment, our heritage, or our knowledge.