Two of Senglea's religious paintings restored
Works by Francesco Zahra date back to 1741
Two religious paintings dating back to the 1700s have been restored to their former glory.
The paintings, by Maltese artist Francesco Zahra, hang in the Senglea Basilica but had faded and were in dire need of attention.
In a statement, the Curia on Friday said the restoration project had been coordinated by the church’s foundation for cultural patrimony and was 80 per cent financed using EU funds. The project cost just over €28,500.
The second restored painting. photo: Curia.Auxiliary Bishop Joseph Galea-Curmi and EU Funds Parliamentary Secretary Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi inaugurated the restored pieces.
The paintings date back to 1741 when Zahra lived in Senglea.
They were previously restored shortly after World War II, however, the methods and paint used at the time are believed to have caused further damage.
On his part, Zrinzo Azzopardi said the restoration works formed part of a much larger €4.5 million project across several churches in Malta and Gozo.