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Vigilo - Din l-Art Ħelwa Issue 55 • MAY 2021
A painted frieze and altar at Palazzo de la Salle, Valletta By Jennifer Herrick Porter
P
alazzo de la Salle, located on Republic Street in the heart of Valletta, is perhaps best known for its exciting programme of exhibitions and events organized by the Malta Society of Arts (MSA), which has been based at the palace since 1924. Part of what makes those exhibitions so successful is their beautiful setting, largely the result of a concerted campaign by MSA since 2009 to renovate the palace, showcasing its original knights-period elements while also converting its spaces for contemporary use. A little-known gem within the palazzo complex is its early baroque domestic chapel,
decorated with various wall painting schemes. Though the space had been neglected during earlier tenancies, the MSA, under the leadership of perit Adrian Mamo, recognized its value. In 2016, as part of their larger programme of renovations, the MSA invited the Department of Conservation and Built Heritage of the University of Malta to study and conserve the chapel’s wall paintings. This project, completed in 2019, was recently awarded the the Prix d’Honneur for Rehabilitation and Re-Use of Buildings by Din l-Art Ħelwa, and the Department is very proud of this recognition of its collaborative work with the MSA.
