One of the largest and most exquisite sets of tapestries woven during the Baroque era – now restored to their full magnificence – is to be exhibited for the first time in 33 years at St John’s Co-Cathedral from this Friday.

This will present a rare opportunity for the public to view these masterpieces crafted at the end of the 17th century. They will be hung in the Main Nave of the cathedral.

The exhibition – aptly titled A Gift of Glory – will mark the finalisation of the tapestries’ extensive and complex 16-year restoration process at De Wit Laboratories in Belgium.

The last time they were displayed was during Pope St John Paul II’s visit to Malta in 1990, making the exhibition a “unique cultural event”, says the St John’s Co-Cathedral Foundation.

The foundation, which funded the project, is dedicated to preserving and promoting the cultural heritage of the unique Unesco World Heritage site.

One of the tapestries being carefully brought into St John’s Co-Cathedral in Valletta.

The set of tapestries was commissioned by Grand Master Ramon y Perellos on his election in 1697. The 29 pieces depict the Triumph of the Roman Catholic Church, scenes from the life of Christ and the 12 apostles.

The majority of the tapestries were based on cartoons by the renowned artist Peter Paul Rubens and woven in Brussels by the weaver Judocus De Vos, their intricate design from wool and pure silk making them a “true masterpiece of European art”.

In 2006, the foundation embarked on what it called the very time-consuming project to restore the tapestries, which was completed last year.

Over time, the tapestries had sustained deterioration, consisting of large gaps in the seams and loss of the delicate silk threads caused mainly by their exposure to UV light and the inevitable stress due to gravity.

Losses of silk wefts were particularly visible in the landscape and flesh tones.

One of the tapestries, in all its glory.

They had also collected dust and soot from the atmosphere, which caused further deterioration, said the foundation.

The restoration treatment consisted of cleansing with a fine mist solution of solvents and water to remove dust and dirt.

They were then placed on looms so the damage could be examined. Loose threads and open seams were carefully consolidated and repaired, and the tapestries were fitted with new linings to support and prevent future deterioration.

The project, carried out by a team of experts at De Wit Royal Manufacturers, involved carefully cleaning and repairing them, restoring to their former glory their original colours and designs.

The tapestries were restored in a 16-year process at De Wit Laboratories in Belgium.

The exhibition will be on between May 5 and June 24 in a rare opportunity for visitors to appreciate the tapestries’ beauty and historical and religious significance, the foundation said.

The exhibition is expected to attract art enthusiasts from all over the world and would be “undoubtedly a highlight of the cultural calendar in Malta”, it said.

The most noteworthy commission

When Ramon Perellos y Rocafull was elected Grand Master in 1697, he gifted the conventual church of the Order with the set of tapestries.

Tapestries were considered one of the costliest art forms, indicating status and wealth, and commissioned by nobles and rulers alike.

They were used to insulate and embellish interiors and also served as visual narratives to instruct the faithful in churches.

According to the Statutes of the Order, Grand Masters were obliged to give a gift, known as Gioia, to their Conventual Church, which was dedicated to St John the Baptist.

The tapestries were transported from Belgium to Malta.

The most noteworthy commission was this – the largest complete set in the world, executed between 1699 and 1701, as confirmed by the inscription on the tapestry depicting Grand Master Perellos.

The tapestries bear the coat of arms of the 64th Grand Master of the Order, the Brussels city mark and the name of the weaver.

The border, which frames the scenes, consists of laurel foliage, a symbol of peace and victory, and a festoon of fruit and vegetables that symbolises the generosity of his reign.

Fourteen large tapestries measure approximately 6.5 metres in width. Seven of these represent scenes from the life of Christ while the other seven depict the Triumph of the Eucharist. Fourteen narrow tapestries depict the apostles, Jesus Christ and the Virgin Mary. Grand Master Perellos’ full-length portrait completes the set.

The Triumph of the Roman Catholic was a particularly powerful theme at the time of the Counter-Reformation. It was widespread in art during the 17th century and Grand Master Perellos may have taken this opportunity to portray devotion to the Catholic faith and exuberance of the Order, the foundation explained.

Interior of St John’s, c. 1915, Raphael Tuck.