Restored painting unveiled in Żebbuġ Gozo

The Parish Church of Żebbuġ, Gozo, unveiled the newly restored 16th-century painting of the Immaculate Conception, a work of art depicting the Virgin Mary crowned with twelve gilded stars and standing on a crescent moon. The conservation project was supported by the Bank of Valletta Foundation and restoration was entrusted to Prevarti, led by restorer Pierre Bugeja, who meticulously revived the painting’s original brilliance using advanced conservation techniques.

Speaking on behalf of the BOV Foundation, Ernest Agius, Chief Operations Officer at Bank of Valletta, said, “This painting is far more than colours on canvas. It is a reminder of faith, values, identity and folklore. Local folklore has it that the radiant face of the Virgin Mary turns yellowish and pale before an impending natural catastrophe. It is also said that one day, when some corsairs dared to devastate the countryside as far as the village, a lady that resembled the image in the altarpiece appeared on the spot hurling stones to repel the enemy. Thanks to this conservation project, this work of art has been returned to the community in all its glory, to be enjoyed by current and future generations. At BOV, we are proud to support projects that safeguard Malta’s cultural heritage as part of our ongoing commitment to give back to the community at large.”

Pierre Bugeja explained the care taken in this complex project. “This was a delicate and challenging restoration. The painting had deteriorated over the years, with visible cracks, canvas deformations, and a darkened varnish layer. The painting also suffered from damage caused by added stars and a necklace once fixed onto it. Using special conservation techniques, we were able to consolidate the paint, repair the canvas, and clean the painting from accumulated layers of dirt, oxidised varnish and previous retouching and overpaint – ensuring the work is both structurally sound and faithful to the original.”

Parish Priest Fr John Sultana expressed his gratitude to the Bank and Prevarti, recognising that “The Immaculate Conception painting has been a symbol of devotion for generations of Żebbuġ parishioners. Its restoration not only revives a work of art but also renews a piece of our identity as a community. We are deeply grateful to our partners Bank of Valletta and Prevarti for making this possible.”

The ceremony was also attended by Dr Gordon Cordina, BOV Chairperson, Ms Antoinette Caruana from the BOV Foundation and Charles Azzopardi, Head CSR and Events, with their presence further underlining the Bank’s commitment to safeguarding Malta’s cultural and artistic heritage. Through such initiatives the Bank continues to honour its responsibility towards Malta’s heritage, supporting cultural sustainability through the BOV Foundation as part of its broader Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) commitments.