On 19^th October 2023, the Embassy of Malta in Warsaw, organised in co-operation with the Royal Łazienki Museum and Heritage Malta, the temporary exhibition of eight paintings by Mattia Preti from Malta’s national collection. The exhibition is being held under the honorary patronage of His Excellency Andrzej Duda, the President of the Republic of Poland.

The exhibition was officially opened by: Dr Marianna Otmianowska, director of the Royal Łazienki Museum; Her Excellency Dr Marisa Farrugia, Ambassador of the Republic of Malta to Poland; and Mr Noel Zammit, CEO of Heritage Malta.

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony of the exhibition, Her Excellency, Dr Marisa Farrugia, said that she was deeply honoured to be able to open the Preti exhibition after months of intensive work and co-ordination with the main organisers, government authorities and sponsors. In addition to the original paintings and frescoes replicas by Preti, the Knight and the prolific artist, the exhibition also includes Maltese artifacts and objects related to the 8,000-year-old, diverse and rich history of Malta – a country where for centuries different cultures and people of different nationalities have met in the spirit of dialogue and creativity.

This exhibition attests to the embassy’s commitment to cultural diplomacy, which underpins its efforts to support a united European identity – said the Maltese Ambassador. She highlighted that the exhibition is “a celebration of the spirit and soul of Malta, the Euro-Mediterranean contribution to global history and art, and the legacy of Mattia Preti”.

Through the Embassy’s efforts and with the organization of this rich exhibition, strong friendship, and cultural cooperation between Heritage Malta and the Royal Łazienki Museum have developed successfully. Culture and the arts transcend borders, and the organisation of the Mattia Preti exhibition at the Royal Łazienki Museum is a testament to this. The importance of cultural diplomacy has deepened the bonds between our citizens and is the basis for lasting relations between our countries, concluded the Maltese Ambassador.

The eight paintings loaned by Heritage Malta are The Young St John the Baptist wearing the Habit of the Order of St John, Daniel interpreting the Dream of King Nebuchadnezzar, Lot and his Daughters, Drunkenness of Noah, St Bartholomew, Doubting Thomas, Baptism of Christ, and Apelles painting Campaspe.

The painting Mattia Preti Distributing Alms to the Poor by Giuseppe Calì, also from Malta, further enhances the exhibition. Two other Mattia Preti works, which form part of Poland’s national collections – Adoration of the Shepherds and A Game of Backgammon loaned to the Royal Łazienki Museum for this exhibition from the National Museum in Warsaw and from the Royal Castle in Warsaw respectively.

The works of the outstanding painter and fresco artist of the Baroque period, Mattia Preti, is presented in a temporary exhibition at the Royal Łazienki Museum Warsaw, Poland, and can be viewed from October 20, 2023 to March 3, 2024.