The 1565 Great Siege of Malta has been represented in plenty of literature and historical fiction – David Ball’s epic The Sword and the Scimitar springs to mind. But, long before these written tales enthralled modern audiences, the Italian artist Matteo Perez d’Aleccio, who studied under the Renaissance painter Michelangelo and actually worked on the Sistine Chapel, was asked to come to Malta to bring the eponymous battle back to life. And, his cycle of paintings is now being restored to beguile today’s public.  

D’Aleccio arrived in 1577 and immediately took to working on what is considered the most detailed and historically accurate visual document of the Siege itself. The wall paintings, showcased in all their glory at the Grandmaster’s Palace in Valletta, tells the story of the four-month battle in 12 episodes and drew from eyewitness accounts and written narratives. 

And, now, the Department of Conservation and Built Heritage of the University of Malta and Heritage Malta have joined forces to complete a process of restoration which started in the early 2000s. The conservation will include the cleaning of surface soiling, which has darkened some patches of the paintings, to reveal the cycle in all its visual splendour. 

The project is expected to cost €300,000 and will take three years to complete, with an estimated end date of July 2021. The Research Trust of the University of Malta (RIDT) will be raising the money, €50,000 of which has already been donated by that the Gasan Foundation.

Matteo Perez d’Aleccio cycle of wall paintings depicting the Great Siege are displayed in the Grand Council Chamber of the Grand Master’s Palace in Valletta. Opening hours: Mon - Sun from 10am to 4pm. Last admission 30 min before closing time.