Analysis of three paintings by Mattia Preti from Wignacourt College Museum, Rabat (Malta)

Abstract

In this paper, the main results of the analysis performed on three paintings by Mattia Preti are reported. In particular, the investigated paintings have been: The penitent St. Peter (around 1680), St. Peter blessing (around 1690) and The Madonna of Sorrows (around 1690), all of them coming from Wignacourt College Museum of Rabat in Malta. They were examined on the occasion of the restoration required for the exhibition (2004-2005) of the paintings in Viterbo (Italy). The short time available for the restoration and for the exhibition preparation, made possible only the essential analysis of the paintings, following the requirements of the restoration intervention.

The three paintings were preliminary examined by means of infrared reflectrography and X-Ray radiography. Moreover, four samples from each painting were taken off and they were analysed by means of a polarizing microscope, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, Raman microscopy.