Heritage Malta has arranged a series of activities to mark the 400th anniversary of the arrival of Caravaggio in the Maltese islands. An official logo, which depicts Caravaggio’s portrait and is enclosed within a palette, has been launched to complement the activities.

The first event will be a public lecture by Dr Sergio Benedetti, Chief Curator at Ireland’s National Gallery, entitled The Age of Caravaggio. Dr Benedetti was born in Florence and is a leading scholar on the great artist.

The lecture is sponsored by the Farsons Foundation and will be held at the National Museum of Fine Arts in Valletta tomorrow at 7pm. Admission is free but those interested in attending are requested to collect an admission ticket from Heritage Malta’s head office or from the National Museum of Fine Arts in Valletta.

Heritage Malta has also lined up a series of exhibitions, including the re-hanging of the painting Judith and Holofernes by Valentin de Boulogne, which is presently undergoing conservation work by the agency’s Conservation Division.

In September, a special heritage trail focusing on Caravaggio’s works and stay on the island will be held. This forms part of a series of thematic heritage trails that were successfully launched by the agency last year.

Other exhibitions by painters who are referred to as “Caravaggisti” will be organised during 2008, and Heritage Malta is currently discussing other possible events that can be held to commemorate this important anniversary.