In 1659 Mattia Preti donated “The Martyrdom of St Catherine” to the knights of the Italian langue to be placed as an altarpiece at the Church of St Catherine, which adjoined Auberge d’Italie in Valletta, to make known his wish for a higher rank within the Order.

The National Student Travel Foundation (Malta), which regularly executes deeds of a philanthropic nature associated with the restoration and preservation of Malta’s cultural heritage, decided to celebrate its 30th anniversary by commissioning the restoration of Mattia Preti’s masterpiece.

The highly acclaimed firm Sante Guido Restauro e Conservazione di Opere d’Arte, under the direction of Sante Guido and Giuseppe Mantella, has been in the restoration business since 1982 and will be responsible for the restoration.