23. Mgr Coleiro Hall (picture gallery)
Various paintings are on display in the picture gallery, including one depicting St John baptising Christ by Matteo Perez d’Aleccio and a portrait of Grand Master Emmanuel Pinto de Fonseca by Antoine Favray. The painting depicting St John baptising Christ by Matteo Perez d’Aleccio was once the main altarpiece of the conventual church and was replaced by the large marble group of the Baptism that can be seen today.
The painting belongs to the late 16th century and harbours the elegant mannerist style predominant at that time. Perez d’Allecio was an assistant of the great Michelangelo and some of his work is to be found in the Sistine chapel in The Vatican in Rome. He also painted the important frieze of the Great Siege at the Grand Master’s palace. The majestic full length portrait of Grand Master Emmanuel Pinto de Fonseca was painted by the French artist Antoine Favray in 1747. It was commissioned by the convent in gratitude to the Grand Master for gaining the privilege of carrying the silver mace.
The rich and grandiose treatment of the subject is typical of the French style adopted by King Louis the 14th of France and which the Grand Master intentionally wanted to emulate. Standing at his desk, the Grand Master points to his royal crown to indicate that he is the sovereign of the Order and his cape is lined with ermine, a fur worn only by royalty. His family coat of arms, sword and armour can be seen beneath the desk as a reminder that he is also a warrior.
Grand Master Pinto reigned from 1741 to 1773, one of the longest periods in the history of the Order. Renowned for his flamboyant lifestyle, he commissioned the rebuilding of the auberge of the Castilian langue and the setting up of a University.