After a year-long process and an extensive restoration process, the titular painting of the Comino Chapel is back in its rightful place. Supported by Bank of Valletta, the restoration process was carried out at PrevArti’s workshop in Mosta.

The painting, which depicts The Return of the Holy Family from Egypt, underwent a rigorous and meticulous process due to the poor state of the canvas and the painting itself. Restorer Pierre Bugeja explained that the painting had darkened over the years while a major intervention in the past proved to be detrimental to the layers of paint mainly due to the use of hard metal.

Art Historian Dr Sandro Debono said that from research he has conducted, all roads are leading to Carlo Zimach as the artist who depicted this piece of art. Zimach, who was a priest from Żebbuġ (Malta), is known to have worked closely with the Parish of Nadur, where a number of paintings attributed to him are still found within this Basilica.

The chaplain of the Comino Chapel, Mgr Joseph Attard, was delighted to welcome back the painting. He had identified its bad state and the immediate need for restoration as soon as he was appointed chaplain to Comino about two years ago.

Charles Azzopardi, PR and Marketing Executive at Bank of Valletta, expressed satisfaction on the completion of the BOV project, which brought to light a part of Malta’s heritage which was relatively unknown by the public, on the tiny island of Comino.