An art historical and state of preservation analysis of three paintings at the Saint George Parish Church Museum, Qormi

Abstract

This dissertation analyses three paintings housed within the Saint George Parish church museum in Qormi, these paintings are Stefano Erardi’s Virgin of Graces with saints, Giovanni Nicola Buhagiar’s Virgin of the Girdle, together with his painting depicting Saint Margaret of Cortona. The leading objectives of this study are to engage with the historical context, formal qualities, and state of preservation of the three selected artworks. Moreover, this has been carried out by delving into a connoisseurship study, which has further led to creating paragons and comparisons between local and foreign artworks in terms of their formal qualities, composition and structure, form, colour and other characteristics. This has then been joined with the study of technical art history which features the assessment and discussion of the state of preservation of the three artworks. The first chapter of this study delves into the art historical context of the three artworks, giving an understanding of their background from their commission and realisation for their dedicated altars within the church, being later moved and displayed in the sacristy, and later hung within the parish church museum after its opening. Moreover, the second chapter, discusses the iconography of the three artworks, the style and influences of the artists are also discussed, and a comparative analysis is then conducted with local as well as international artists and their artworks. This leads to the assessment of the formal elements that make up the paintings in the third and final chapter. Additionally, the state of preservation is analysed by having carried out preliminary investigations using ultraviolet fluorescence, infrared radiation, and raking light, to expose the extent of the paintings’ damages such as paint loss and overpainting. In conclusion, this study aims at bringing forward and understanding the art historical context of this corpus of paintings and its significance while also exposing the paintings’ present state of preservation. This study could also serve as a foundation to understand and choose the adequate methods required for restoration and conservation through the investigations carried out and discussed within the final chapter.