The Tapestries – part 1

The Tapestry of the Resurrection at St. John's Co-Cathedral

Over the next 3 days I will share with you some of the most treasured artefacts we have in Malta, precisely the Tapestries created between 1699 and 1701, done on the order of the Grand Master Ramon Perellos. It was customary in those days that the ruler of the island of Malta would donate a special gift to the Order of St John, and he chose to donate these magnificent set of 29 tapestries to be hung in the conventual church built in the 1570s. 

The Tapestry of the Raising of the Cross

The designs were based on cartoons by Peter Paul Rubens and were considered to be one of the most costly forms of art, which indicated status and wealth, often commissioned by nobles and rulers. The main weaver who did most of the work was Judocus de Vos from Brussels. They were recently restored in the De Witt Laboratories also in Belgium, and it took them from 2006 until 2022 to finish restoring the whole set. More information tomorrow.

An overall view of the interior of the Cathedral