Dr Mark Sagona from the Department of Art and Art History (Faculty of Arts) and Rev. Dr Jonathan Farrugia from the Department of Church History, Patrology & Palaeochristian Archaeology (Faculty of Theology), delivered addresses during the commemoration of the 150th anniversary of the Pietro Gagliardi’s Annunciation painting, which is situated at Tarxien Parish Church.
To mark this anniversary, the parishioners of Tarxien, led by Archpriest Christopher Ellul, took the initiative to ensure a proper restoration of the beloved painting.
Gagliardi (1809-1890) was one of the most skilled Italian artists to have executed work commissioned for Maltese patrons in the late 19th century.
It was Bishop Gaetano Pace Forno O.E.S.A. (1809-1874) who chose him to paint the Annunciation for the Tarxien church. Its restoration was carried out by PrevArti Ltd – Art Conservation & Restoration.
The occasion offered an opportunity to reflect on the inspirational messages the Gagliardi painting proposes to the Christian mind in the perspective of certain issues of our time.