A new art book opens the door wide open to what is considered as one of the foremost art galleries in Malta.

The Paintings At The Cathedral Museum, Mdina, by Antonio Espinosa Rodriguez, has just been published by Progress Press.

Meant as a companion to the collection, the book is described by the editors, Graham Fairclough and Lino Bugeja, as a "prestigious and monumental" work. It was officially launched by Progress Press last week.

In the words of Mario Buhagiar, of the History of Art Programme at the University of Malta, the catalogue "has fulfilled a major desideratum that will help enrich our knowledge and appreciation of the gallery and, hopefully, serve as a catalyst for its greater support, both morally and financially".

Mr Espinosa Rodriguez says the idea of compiling and publishing a catalogue of the paintings at the cathedral was first mooted in the course of an annual general meeting of the Friends of the Cathedral Museum Association.

"The beauty of most of the works is superb and of a very high artistic quality. They are of seminal importance to the study of the history of art in Malta; indeed, the collection includes significant paintings by important European masters," he writes in the introduction to the book.

By and large, he explains, the collection represents the preferences and level of sophistication of Maltese art patrons and collectors, both ecclesiastic and secular, from the 14th century to the present day.

The pictures are classified by national schools. All entries are illustrated and contain, besides descriptive information and a historical and critical analysis, a biographical note on the artist, provenance of the work, present location, list of exhibitions and a bibliography.

The book also comes in a de luxe, leather-bound edition.