Pisani painting neglected

The Catholic Church is dedicating this year to the Holy Eucharist. As part of Malta's participation in the universal Eucharistic Year, a National Eucharistic Congress was held a couple of weeks ago. These solemn celebrations recalled the XXIV International Eucharistic Congress held in Malta in 1913.

On that historic occasion street decorations in Valletta and Floriana included an artistic arch put up near St Publius church in Floriana. Over the arch a large painting was put up depicting the Triumph of the Holy Eucharist (Il Trionfo dell'Eucaristia). The well-known Maltese painter Lazzaro Pisani (1854-1932) was commissioned to paint this large canvas.

In 1982 the Cathedral Museum Committee put up a commemorative exhibition of paintings and sketches by Lazzaro Pisani at the Cathedral Museum, Mdina, which included this large painting.

This painting by Pisani was again displayed at an exhibition held in the Annexe of the Rotunda church of Mosta in 1988 to mark the 75th anniversary of the International Eucharistic Congress.

It is understood that this Pisani painting is now lying, totally neglected and forgotten, in a lumber room at the Catholic Institute in Floriana. It has already sustained severe damage and in some parts the canvas is torn.

I earnestly urge the Church authorities to salvage this painting from further deterioration and have it restored and installed in a suitable place for preservation and for future generations.