Opening of the exhibition ‘Mattia Preti. Discovering the Baroque Secrets of Malta’
On 19 October 2023, in the presence of numerous guests, the Royal Łazienki Museum hosted the official opening of an exhibition of works by the eminent painter Mattia Preti. – We reveal the mysteries of the Baroque to you and invite you to a multi-sensory museum feast, as befits 17th century art, said Director Marianna Otmianowska during the event.
The exhibition ‘Mattia Preti. Discovering the Baroque Secrets of Malta’, under the honorary patronage of the President of the Republic of Poland, was organised by the Royal Łazienki Museum together with the Embassy of Malta and the Maltese National Heritage Institute – Heritage Malta.
The exhibition was officially opened by: Marianna Otmianowska, Director of the Royal Łazienki Museum, Marisa Farrugia, Ambassador of the Republic of Malta to Poland and Noel Zammit, General Manager of Heritage Malta.
– Owing to the commitment and creativity of our extraordinary team and close collaboration with Heritage Malta, we have the pleasure to invite you not only to an exhibition, but above all to a multi-sensory museum feast, as befits 17th century art. It is an exhibition filled with light and darkness, a variety of textures and emotions, full of artistic and historical puzzles, said Director Otmianowska. Emphasising that Mattia Preti is a multi-faceted artist, the exhibition and its accompanying events will thus feature both the artist’s work and the history of Italy, Malta and the Order of Malta.
Director Otmianowska thanked the President of the Republic of Poland for being an honorary patron of the exhibition, the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage for its financial and organisational support, the Embassy of Malta and Heritage Malta for their excellent cooperation, and the National Museum in Warsaw and the Royal Castle in Warsaw, which provided the two works by Mattia Preti presented at the exhibition. Offering her thanks, she emphasised that the exhibition was initiated by late Professor Zbigniew Wawer, previous director of the Royal Łazienki Museum.
Director of Heritage Malta: intercultural dialogue
At the opening, the Director of Heritage Malta emphasised that the exhibition was a testament to Mattia Preti’s outstanding talent and Malta’s rich artistic heritage; it was with great pride and pleasure that he has partnered with the Royal Łazienki Museum in this project. – ‘The exhibition is another invaluable opportunity to introduce people to Malta’s heritage and help them better understand the value of works of art,’ said Director Zammit, while stressing that such exhibitions were also a platform for dialogue between cultures. – ‘This concept of connectivity, uniting peoples and strengthening the sense of cooperation enables us to discover similarities and differences between countries and puts cultural heritage at the forefront as a factor facilitating dialogue and strengthening bilateral relations,’ the Heritage Malta director pointed out.
– May this exhibition be a huge success and the thrill of discovering Malta’s baroque secrets stimulate an appetite to delve into Malta's history and national treasures,’ the Director of Heritage Malta concluded.
Ambassador of Malta: the exhibition strengthens our ties
Marisa Farrugia stressed that it was a great honour to her to open the exhibition, which brings closer the 8,000-year-old, diverse and rich history of Malta – a country where different cultures and people of different nationalities have come together for centuries in a spirit of dialogue and creativity. – ‘This exhibition demonstrates our embassy’s commitment to cultural diplomacy, which is the basis of our efforts to foster a united European identity,’ the Maltese ambassador said. She pointed out that the exhibition was ‘a celebration of the spirit and soul of Malta, the Euro-Mediterranean contribution to global history and the arts, and the legacy of Mattia Preti and its organisation led to a strong friendship and collaboration in the field of culture between Heritage Malta and the Royal Łazienki Museum.’
Ambassador Farrugia mentioned that the exhibition would not have taken place if it had not been for the genuine interest in Malta and its culture on the part of the late Professor Zbigniew Wawer, the previous director of the Royal Łazienki, and then the determination of the current Museum director to continue the project. – ‘This experience of cultural diplomacy has strengthened the ties between our people and forms the basis for a lasting relationship between our countries,’ concluded the Maltese ambassador.
