Three artworks from Malta are currently on display together abroad for the first time at Gallerie d’Italia in Naples, as part of the international exhibition Un altro seicento: L’arte delle donne nel Viceregno (Women in Spanish Naples: An Alternative 17th Century). The Archdiocese of Malta has loaned a rarely seen painting by Maria de Dominici from the Attard Parish Church collection.
The work depicting the Virgin Mary with plague Saints Nicholas of Bari and Roch, restored with the support of Gallerie d’Italia by Maltese conservators ReCoop, is exhibited alongside two related pieces by Mattia Preti, which are usually found at Sarria Church in Floriana.
The display, conceived by Prof. Keith Sciberras, highlights the artistic dialogue between Preti and de Dominici, believed to be his pupil. Prof. Sciberras said the exhibition “reconsiders the 17th and 18th centuries in Naples through the role and working practices of women artists,” emphasising that Maria de Dominici’s role in the history of Maltese art is highly significant as she stands as Malta’s earliest known female painter and produced independent works despite operating in a male-dominated field.
“In truth, we do not have many works by de Dominici. I chose to create a paragon because her biographer, who was also her nephew, Bernardo de Dominici, wrote extensively about her and about the role she had, or may have had, in Mattia Preti’s bottega.”
The Attard painting underwent extensive conservation to stabilise its structure and recover its original colours. Advanced imaging techniques revealed earlier restorations and compositional adjustments made by de Dominici herself.
The loan of the paintings was coordinated and overseen by the Department of Collections of the Archdiocese. Dr Matthias Ebejer, Senior Collections Officer of the Archdiocese, who accompanied the artworks to Naples, said high-level international loans strengthened institutional relationships and made Malta’s cultural heritage accessible to wider audiences.
He added that seeing de Dominici presented alongside artists such as Artemisia Gentileschi and Lavinia Fontana is “an immense honour for Malta and a step toward greater recognition of her contribution”.
The exhibition is curated by Antonio Ernesto Denunzio, Giuseppe Porzio, Raffaella Morselli, and Eve Straussman-Pflanzer. The exhibition runs until 22 March 2026.
The painting of Maria de Dominici during the restoration process and after its restoration. Photo: ReCoop
