In the south transept of the Parish Church of Kalkara, there is a painting depicting Our Lady of Pompei. This artwork was created in 1896 by the renowned painter Giuseppe Calì. The altar of the previous church, crafted by the Italian marble sculptor Mariano Russo, along with this painting, were funded by benefactor Antonio Bezzina.
Fortunately, the painting was spared from destruction during World War II, after being transferred to Gozo together with the other paintings, following instructions from Archbishop Mons. Mikiel Gonzi. Associated with this altar is the Confraternity of Our Lady of the Rosary, which was amalgamated with other confraternities since its establishment in 1898 as the Confraternity of Saint Joseph.
Over the years, devotion to Our Lady of the Rosary grew significantly, with devotees lighting a substantial number of candles in front of the painting. Although the artwork was restored in the past, it sustained some damage to the canvas and the varnish darkened, resulting in considerable obstruction of the image.
With this in mind, Assoċjazzjoni Wirt il-Kalkara launched a new restoration project for this painting. Thanks to the help of volunteers working in the church, the painting was carefully taken down, and then transferred to the workshop of Atelier Del Restauro, where restoration works were carried out under the supervision of restorer Valentina Lupo.
Restoration works were carried out with great care and professionalism at the workshop of Atelier del Restauro Ltd. The restoration process included the meticulous cleaning of the painting’s surface to remove dust and dirt that had accumulated over the years. Consolidation of all layers was also undertaken where necessary, in order to ensure the structural stability of the painting.
Furthermore, the necessary repairs and patching were carried out to restore areas that were in very poor condition, while old layers of varnish that had darkened the original colours were removed. The canvas was relined to prevent further deterioration. In the final stage, retouching was carried out to recover the original colours and restore the overall aesthetic of the painting including the cleaning of the gilded wooden cornice.
After the completion of the necessary restoration was finalised, the painting of Our Lady of Pompei was returned back in the south transept of the Parish Church of Kalkara. With the assistance of voluntary Parish members and members of the Committee of Assoċjazzjoni Wirt il-Kalkara, the painting was securely reinstalled in its original place.
This restoration was undertaken by Assoċjazzjoni Wirt il-Kalkara in collaboration with the Parish of Saint Joseph of Kalkara.
