The National Library of Malta is inviting the public to its third lecture in a series of eight being coordinated by Maroma Camilleri and Mevrick Spiteri, with accompanying exhibitions set up in collaboration with Heritage Malta.

‘Fabrics for an Order: a technical and artistic appreciation of the liturgical vestments of the Order of St John’, is the title of the next lecture in the series.

In today’s consumerist society, textiles are mass produced by machines and designed on computers but textiles were once handmade on looms, utilising yarn which was also manufactured by highly-skilled artisans.

Fabrics fit for kings and the like, such as those used in the production of liturgical vestments, were crafted using great technical ability and creativity.

Some of the most expensive materials available at the time were used, such as silk, gold and silver thread, woven together to form sumptuous cloth in a multitude of weaves and designs.

During the lecture, historian Evelyn Baluci will look into weaving techniques and the typologies of designs, among other aspects, by looking at some examples of liturgical vestments from the time of the rule of Order of St John.

The lecture will be held at the National Library, Valletta, on Thursday at 6.30pm. For any queries, send an e-mail to events.library@gov.mt.

A rare example of a fabric woven specifically for the Order of St John. Image courtesy of Wignacourt Museum, Rabat