Twenty-nine tapestries, gifted to the church by Grand Master Ramon Perellos in 1702 have taken their place at St John’s Co-Cathedral following a 16-year conservation and restoration project that sought to ensure their preservation for future generations.

The public will now be able to see the tapestries during an exhibition, titled A Gift of Glory, at St John's Co-Cathedral until June 24. The tapestries, woven from wool and pure silk, are among one of the largest and most exquisite sets of tapestries woven during the baroque era.

A tapestry depicting a scene from the life of Christ. Photo: Jonathan Borg

Their restoration, which lasted 16 years and took place in Brussels – where they were originally made over 300 years ago – cost €1.3 million, explained the president of the St John’s Co-Cathedral Foundation, Emmanuel Agius.

He said the restoration was funded by the foundation and sought to "give new life to this extraordinary temple and transformed it into a unique celebration of art and culture".

The tapestries are made of wool and silk. Photo: Jonathan Borg

Speaking during the launch of the exhibition on Friday, National Heritage Minister Owen Bonnici said the tapestries, with their intricate designs and rich colours, are a true "gift of glory" as they represent the pinnacle of artistic and cultural achievement, serving as a reminder of the power of art and culture to inspire, uplift, and transform.

Archbishop Charles Scicluna highlighted the tapestries' significance as an artefact of faith towards the Catholic church, which can still be appreciated nowadays.

A grand gift

Frà Don Ramon Perellos y Roccafull was invested in the Order of St John at a relatively young age, where he joined the langue of Aragon and lived in Malta from 1653 until his passing on 10 January 1720. On 7 February 1697, three days after the passing of Grand Master Frà Adrien de Wignacourt, Perellos was elected as the 64th Grand Master of the Order in 1697.

Tapestry of Grand Master Perellos. Photo: Jonathan Borg

Back then Grand Masters were obliged to give a gift, known as Gioia, to their Conventual Church dedicated to St John the Baptist. Perellos commissioned the largest complete set of tapestries in the world consisting of 29 tapestries ordered from the weaver Judocus de Vos in 1698, in Brussels.

They were executed between 1699 and 1701. The entire set journeyed from Brussels to France and later arrived in Malta in 1702. Tapestries were one of the most expensive art forms which indicated status and wealth and were commissioned by nobles and rulers alike. They were used to insulate and embellish interiors. Tapestries in churches would have served as visual narratives to instruct the faithful.

The tapestries 

The 29 tapestries include a full-length figure of the Grand Master Perellos as well as large tapestries measuring approximately 6.5 metres in width, seven of which represent scenes from the Life of Christ whilst the other seven tapestries depict the Triumph of the Eucharist. Another 14 narrow tapestries depict the apostles, Jesus Christ and the Virgin Mary. 

Close view of the tapestry depicting the birth of Christ. Photo: Jonathan Borg

Scenes from the Life of Christ include the Annunciation, the Adoration of the Shepherds, the Adoration of the Magi, Christ’s Entry to Jerusalem, the Last Supper, the Raising of the Cross and the Resurrection.

Scenes from the Triumph of the Eucharist include the Defenders of the Eucharist, Triumph of Divine Love, The Victory of Truth over Heresy, and Eucharist over Pagan Sacrifice. Most of them are based on cartoons prepared by the renowned artist Peter Paul Rubens.

Seven tapestries depict scene from the Triumph of the Church. PHOTO: Jonathan Borg

The tapestries bear the Grand Master’s coat of arms, the Brussels city mark and the name of the weaver Judocus de Vos. The border which frames the scenes consists of laurel foliage, a symbol of peace and victory and a festoon of fruit and vegetables which symbolise the munificence of the reign of the Grand Master.

They were hung along the perimeter of the main nave from the feast of Corpus Christi until the feast of St John the Baptist. The tapestries were last hung in May 1990 during the Apostolic Visit of Pope Saint John Paul II.

Restoration

Over time, the tapestries, that were woven from wool and pure silk, sustained deterioration consisting of large gaps in the seams and loss of the delicate silk threads mainly caused by their exposure to UV radiation and the inevitable stress caused by gravity.

Losses of silk wefts were particularly visible in the landscape and flesh tones. They had also collected dust and soot from the atmosphere which caused further deterioration.

The tapestries last hung in the Cathedral in 1990. Photo: Jonathan Borg

In 2006, the St John’s Co-Cathedral Foundation embarked on a 16-year project to restore the tapestries. The set was taken to Belgium and restored by the Royal Manufacturers De Wit Laboratories and the project was finished in 2022.

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. The tapestries were fitted with new linings to support and prevent future deterioration.

During the exhibition launch, an agreement was signed between the St John’s Co-Cathedral Foundation and Alfred Mizzi Foundation, with a €250,000 donation for the embellishment of the new museum's tapestries hall to be completed in the coming years.