The exhibition Fare Convito: The Archaeology of Banqueting in Hospitaller Malta (16th to 18th century) is now gracing the Inquisitor's Palace in Birgu. It explores how food, art and politics came together in the ritual of Baroque banqueting in Malta.

A range of beautifully crafted maiolica and porcelain vessels, used both for display and for serving food during formal banquets in Hospitaller Malta, transport visitors to a bygone age defined by hierarchy, power and opulence for the very few.

Between the 16th and 18th century, Malta imported many aspects of European food and dining culture, mainly from Renaissance Italy and from Rococo France. An especially striking feature was the Convito - the formal banquet - which was, above all, a theatrical backdrop for political discussion and intrigue. Banquets were a central feature of the Order's politics, starting with the Grand Masters and Inquisitors and involving all social orders of Maltese society in this period.

The items on display at this exhibition were all discovered during archaeological investigations in Malta or were conserved in local museum collections. Most of them are being exhibited publicly for the first time in this exhibition. Among them are two late Renaissance plates belonging to Cardinal Farnese's famous credenza, a Chinese Ming porcelain import to Malta, important examples of South Italian heraldic plates and a wide range of French and North Italian faience, including examples in the Rococo style of Moustier.

After being hosted by the National Museum of Archaeology in Valletta last year, Fare Convito has been relocated to the Inquisitor's Palace in Birgu - an obvious choice. The palace is a standing monument to the sophisticated culture of the Baroque period, including its gastronomic and culinary aspect, as attested by its numerous archival sources, and various items on display were archaeologically recovered within the palace itself.

This exhibition is a further step in asserting Heritage Malta's commitment towards advancing the study and appreciation of historical gastronomy. It is the outcome of a close collaboration between Heritage Malta museums (National Museum of Archaeology, Inquisitor's Palace, Muża and Gozo Museums), the Malta National Library and the Metropolitan Chapter of Malta.

Admission to the exhibition is included in the normal admission price for the Inquisitor's Palace, adding a complementary attraction to the visiting public. An illustrated catalogue is available for sale at the palace's gift shop and online via https://heritagemalta.mt/store/fare-convito/.