An art-historical and scientific investigation into two Early Cinquecento Renaissance Polyptychs by Antonio de Saliba (1466/7 - c. 1535) on Sicily and Malta

Andrea Luca Bartolo, Charlene Vella

Abstract

The most recent discovery of six privately owned panel paintings potentially associated with Sicilian Renaissance artist Antonio de Saliba s (1466/7 – c. 1535) now dismembered 1515 titular altarpiece for the Franciscan Observant Church in Rabat, Malta, along with the two central panels of the same altarpiece that are found within the church, has made it possible to fill in gaps in art-historical research on Renaissance art in Malta. It also allows for comparisons with Antonio’s documented 1503-04 Taormina Polyptych at the Church of St Nicholas of Bari, simultaneously generating new interest in this work, particularly for its elaborate Late Gothic gilded framework. This paper aims to reconstruct the Rabat Polyptych’s framework digitally and hypothetically, using a similar approach to that employed for the digital reconstruction of the Taormina work. Additionally, the paper interprets and discusses the findings from various scientific analyses of the panels current state of preservation and pigment and wood composition in relation to the field of conservation of cultural heritage.

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IMEKO-MetroArchaeo-2023-033.pdf

DOI

10.21014/tc4-ARC-2023.033

IMEKO TC

TC4 - Measurement of Electrical Quantities

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