St. John’s Co-Cathedral responds to Caravaggio’s expert criticism of the works

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The St. John’s Co-Cathedral Foundation has issued a statement in response to criticism regarding the impact of works on Caravaggio’s iconic painting, “The Beheading of St. John the Baptist”.

The statement follows reports that 28 leading Caravaggio experts from around the world have called for an investigation into the impact of ongoing work at St. John’s Co-Cathedral on the Italian painter’s work.

The Times of Malta reported that “art historian and Caravaggio expert Keith Sciberras has reported that the Tapestry Room under construction is about to irreversibly obstruct a window overlooking the decapitation de Saint-Jean du Caravaggio”, and that “28 Caravaggio scholars and art curators opposed the work in progress, putting their names on an open letter written by Sciberras and sent to the President of the Co-Cathedral Foundation Saint-Jean, Bishop Emmanuel Agius, expressing concern about the impact this will have on the painting.” They argued that the works “will obliterate the original line of light that Caravaggio considered” when working on the painting, The Times reported.

In its statement, the foundation says, “The Oratory that houses ‘The Decollation of St. John the Baptist’ underwent an ambitious renovation led by Mattia Preti, whose renovations and structural alterations were completed in 1695. According to a published article in The Burlington Magazine in 1997, David M. Stone, professor emeritus of the University of Delaware in Newark, these renovations “eradicated most traces of the original environment of Caravaggio’s beheading” located on the south wall Interventions made by Preti included blocking the sixth window on the northeast side, which was aligned with the fifth window in contention.”

“It follows that the fifth window could not be the opening that allowed natural light to fall on the painting because it is too far from the painting itself to participate in the chiaroscuro of the image; this coupled to the fact that the triumphal arch in front of the Decollation, built in Preti’s time, further distanced him from said fifth window and from natural light.The sixth window, the closest to where the painting hung of the “Decapitation”, was blocked by Preti himself. However, this window is unlikely to illuminate the painting effectively. In all likelihood, it caused a grazing light that did not allow the viewer to see the image properly. In reality, the “light” in the painting is “painted” light, the well-designed chiaroscuro and luce di cantina technique which gives the illusion of outside light entering the scene.”

“For the past few decades, windows have been kept tightly closed to prevent light from entering the Oratory, as UV rays from natural light have been scientifically proven to damage all organic materials, including paintings. on canvas, in particular their layer of varnish. To alleviate this situation, just two years ago, the Foundation installed a state-of-the-art LED lighting system to ensure the correct lux levels and preserve the precious decapitation painting from any damage due to the light,” he said.

The need to close the fifth window emanates from the ongoing new museum project, which obtained planning permission in 2016 following public consultation, approval from the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage and UNESCO, said the foundation.

“The provision of a space large enough to house all twenty-nine Flemish tapestries in one space, one of the Co-Cathedral’s most prized possessions, currently on temporary display in the Co-Cathedral Fortunately , first-floor space facing Rue des Marchands was available, providing exactly the right amount of perimeter wall space, from the exterior face of the Oratory wall to the building line on Rue Sainte- Lucie, which was needed. This will allow the tapestries to remain on the co-cathedral site, in a purpose-built space that will be scientifically designed to provide the best preservation environment for these delicate and fragile artefacts.”

“In such large and complex projects, there are always carefully balanced choices to be made. The decision to block off a fifth window in the Oratory, an intervention without which the space requirements of the collection of tapestries would not have been satisfied, was, after considering all the requirements of the new museum, indeed a right choice. This is confirmed by the fact that the interior of the Oratory remains unchanged and that the recontextualization of the original setting for the of Caravaggio actually took place in the late 1600s by Mattia Preti and not as a result of the new museum project, as some interpretations erroneously attempt to conclude.”

The Foundation reiterates its dedication and unique commitment to maintaining the highest level of cultural stewardship and conservation in order to preserve, restore and care for present and future generations, all works of art, artifacts priceless and the architectural gem of the Co-Cathedral itself. “Testimony of this commitment are the many and ongoing restoration projects, the latest being the restoration of all of the Flemish tapestries which currently adorn the Co-Cathedral and for which there has been overwhelming public interest, enthusiasm and support confirming the Foundation’s conviction that the new museum project is not only timely but also essential for the preservation and accessibility of our rich artistic heritage.”

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