Christ the Saviour
The bronze sculpture depicting the image of Christ the Saviour was commissioned from the Roman Baroque sculptor Alessandro Algardi by the Italian Knight Fra Alessandro Zambeccari and arrived in Malta in August 1639. The cast was restored to its original state in a restoration intervention conducted between 2001 and 2002.
The statue was initially installed in a free-standing niche at the Grand Harbour. Originally, Christ the Saviour held a globe in one hand, while the other was raised to bless all those who departed by sea. It was moved in 1853 when it was placed on the pediment of the façade of St John’s Co-Cathedral. During the relocation process the statue was remodelled and the original torso and hands were replaced by a drape.
The bronze sculpture sustained deterioration from grime deposits and its constant exposure to atmospheric conditions. During the restoration process deposits and incrustations were removed during surface cleaning with a mixture of alcohol and acetone. Specific areas were treated with appropriate solutions in order to inhibit further corrosion whilst a microcrystalline wax was applied to prevent further corrosive damage. For conservation reasons the sculpture is now preserved in the Co-Cathedral’s Museum whilst a replica replaced the original on the pediment of the façade.
The restoration was carried out with the collaboration of The St John’s Co-Cathedral Foundation and funded by the Valletta Rehabilitation Project. Restoration works were executed by Sante Guido Restauri whilst Dr Keith Sciberras coordinated the project.