An 18th-century decorative scheme on the dome of the Mdina Metropolitan Cathedral Museum’s chapel, previously covered by two thick layers of paint, is being revealed in a restoration project.

Conservation and restoration expert Amy Sciberras is carrying out the works in collaboration with Heritage Malta. She said the works on the dome of the chapel had uncovered painted decorations that were hidden away for decades.

She spent several weeks testing different methods to remove the two layers of paint before finding the best way to ensure the underlying paintwork was not damaged during the restoration.

The process involves the removal of an uppermost white coating and the subsequent removal of a blue coating, which is in direct contact with the original painted decorations.

The cleaning agent, tailor-made for the site, is being applied in gel form, to allow it to act only on the blue coating without affecting the original paintings beneath.

Due to having been covered by layers of paint, the dome’s decorations are in a poor state, as is suggested by the uncovered areas.

The restoration works are being sponsored by Fenech and Fenech Ltd.