Clearly, the one feature dominating the decoration of this
nobile oratory is the momentous altar piece. It is a recognized Masterpiece
and world famous picture. That Savant and lover of quality from any period,
the late Kenneth Clark, it has been said, persuaded the
captain of a criuse liner to make a detour and stop momentarily in Malta during
the Mediterranean Cruise specifically, and for the soul porpose that his revering
alumni might see "The greatest picture of the 17th Century " he
says , in volume 2 of his memoirs;
We then went to malta , and I made the interesting discovery
that the present italian cult of Caravaggio had not penetrated to wasington,
as no one on board had heard of him , and I had to give an off-the-cuff lecture
to try to persuade my companions that the beheading of St. John the Baptist
in the cathedral was one of the great pictures of the world .
It is indeed the largest canvas ever produced by Michelangelo Merise da Caravaggio (1562-1609) . Rendering it even more special is the fact that it is apparently his only signed work .
The composition of the is chillingly calm , there is no turbulence
whatsoever , it is as though time had stopped and stud still . There is scope
for meditation here , well suiting the function of an oratory : a place of
prayer. All the figures are set in their places as in a careful composition
or tableau vivant , the significance of each is clear, and note St.John lies
like a bemused lamb being ritually slaughtered .
The keys carried executioner are still excitant keys for the oratory : the great pictures was painted in situ . Caravaggio signature in the emerging blood adds poignance ,but this may have been an afterthought , a declaration of anger just before the artist's arrest . His fortunes in malta varied from adulation to scorn : Grand Master Adolf de Wignacourt (1601-1622)- so pleased with his portrait - presented him with two slaves and other presents . Sir Hannibal Scicluna says of Caravagio
" of a gruff and sour disposition and delighted in the painting of tragic subjects."
Mattia Preti (more information)
Let us now examine the great ceiling of the church. We should first consider the overall impact of the main vault. It still hints at the gothic pinched at the peak although, at the time it was built, the 1570s, only gently and barely so as style were changing. Some hold with theory that the broken was purposely put thier to be reminiscent of the convent church at Rodes with it's cieling like the turn - over hull of some great sea - craft.
According to the historian Achille Ferres, si dice che ( it
is rumoured ) Gerolamo Cassar the architect actually travelled to Rhodes to
see the old San Giovanni before starting work. The conventual church there
had been turned into a Mosce. The story is unlikely, but
the legend perhaps is worth recording . The scale and shape of the roof was
certainly innovative as far as Malta was conserned. It is possible that Cassar
got his inspiration in Rome, or even perhaps more likely, localy from his
master Laparelli.
It was during the reigm of Grand Master Martin De Redin 1657-1660, more than
half a century later, that Mattia preti (1613-1699) arrived in Malta. Both
his moral and also his artistic reputations were sound. The Grand Master was
anxious to get on with the important work of decorating Cassar's edifice the
painting of the nave was a colossal undertaking and the Neaponitan artist
took up the challange offering to work without charging the order. For this
, for his dexterity and for his talent he, principal artist of the conventual
church, would be rewarded .
Looking down over the nave and pressbytery ; Over the 85 meter lenghth of
the church, are the scence depicted by Mattia preti they are conserned Mainly
with the life of the Baptist. lively amd a still flushed with pleasantly seasoned
colour they make use of a number of devices including trompe-l'oein, sotto
in su, and a great deal of architectural extravaganza. Preti undoubtedly felt
that he needed to prove himself within this great audithorium. His paintings
of the holy trinity and St.John the baptist compensated depth in the concave
apse to suite an angled view from a distance. He added the famous shadows
to the figures of Saints and heroes at the base of the great vault in order
to create a monumental and very setisfactory 3D effect. Preti did more to
prove himself worthy : His vaults became a masterpiece of baroque paintings