Diagnostic investigation of the Cycle of the new church of Sarria (Floriana, Malta) by Mattia Preti

Abstract

In the present paper, we present the main results of a diagnostic investigation on different paintings by Mattia Preti, belonging to the Cycle of the New Church of Sarria, located inside the Church of the Immaculate Conception of Sarria (Floriana) in Malta. The analysis was carried out on the occasion of the restoration process and, due to the short time available, only on some representative areas of each painting. A multi-technique approach was applied in situ, employing X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF) and Raman microscopy. The aim was to achieve information on the execution technique, in a completely non-invasive way, following the requirements of the restorers.