Foreign Ministry painting "could be a Caravaggio"

An oil painting representing a "Penitent Magdalene", presently hanging at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Valletta, could be an early work of Caravaggio, that has hitherto been "missing".

According to Caravaggio-admirer Louis Vella, the painting, which is attributed to Maltese artist Salvatore Busuttil (1798-1854), could be an early work of Michelangelo Merisi di Caravaggio, when the artist was still influenced by Lombard compositions, particularly since the style of the Penitent Magdalene at the Foreign Office resembles that of Caravaggio's first master, Simone Peterzano. Caravaggio is said to have spent his early years after his apprenticeship, from 1589 till 1592, in Lombardy.

Dr Vella told The Times yesterday that the painting could be the sought-after work of Caravaggio referred to by Italian scholar Pietro Bellori, who wrote that Caravaggio had painted two half-figures over the doors of the Italian chapel at St John's co-Cathedral, where two other Caravaggio paintings, The Beheading of St John and the St Jerome, are displayed.

According to Bellori, one of the paintings was "St Jerome writing" (now at the museum of St John) and the other was the "Magdalene". The latter has never been identified.

"However," Dr Vella said, "the two paintings are very similar even in size, and that could be a further proof that they had originally both been placed over the doors of the Italian chapel, as pointed out by Bellori. The difference is that the Magdalene is just 10 centimetres longer than the painting of St Jerome. The most important thing for the artist, in this respect, was that both paintings fit between the top of the door and the ceiling. For that matter, the measurements can be considered as identical."

But supposedly being an early work of Caravaggio, how could it be that a fleeing Caravaggio could have brought it to Malta with him? Dr Vella said the painting had an affective value for the artist, because of his turbulent love relationship with Lena, a Roman prostitute.

"Since Lena is the diminutive of 'Maddelena', couldn't this work represent a sort of love token which Caravaggio made of his passionate mistress, and couldn't the model herself be Lena? If this is the work of Caravaggio referred to by Bellori, it is possible that the artist himself brought it to Malta."

Dr Vella said the Museum index card relating to the painting contains no details about the provenance of the painting, except that it gives its author as Salvatore Busuttil, and states that the work was transferred to the Foreign Affairs Ministry on June 11, 1982.

"The painting has been relined and has two vertical gashes. The green dress of the saint might have been retouched by Victorian hands to make it look more respectable. It was retouched on other occasions," he said.

Dr Vella first suspected the importance of the painting five years ago, when he obtained authorisation from the curator of Fine Arts to photograph the painting and examine its details, such as the detailed rendering of the skull and the cross made up of a broken piece of cane.

"The detail of the cane resembles the 'St John the Baptist at the Spring' Caravaggio painting that had been stolen last month from the private collection of Judge Giovanni Bonello, which was then recovered by the police," Dr Vella said.

He said he was seeking expert advice as to whether the "Penitent Magdalene" at the Foreign Office was a real Caravaggio.