(Updated, March 2023) A large and detailed painting of shipping off the entrance to Malta’s Grand Harbour, with a storm blowing in from the right. The view is slightly aerial and shows two ships flying the colours of the Maltese Order of St John (the Knights Hospitallers) heading for cover, with a third already under the the outer walls. The defensive forts of Ricasoli and St Elmo, which the Knights made their prime military bases during their later rule of the island, are accurately depicted on either side of the harbour mouth. Lightning and driving rain can be seen on the right above St Elmo, where the main part of Valletta also lies behind.

Although traditionally attributed to Vanvitelli, this painting is now thought to be by the Maltese artist Alberto Pullicino. Little is known of his life other than that he appears to have spent it almost entirely on Malta, where he was baptised in Valletta on 6 February 1719, originally as Philiberto Pullicino. He produced two comprehensive sets of views of the Grand Harbour area, other series of local views, and died on Malta in 1759. His great patron was Stephano Francesco Turgot de Brucourt and because his work was popular with the many French Knights of St John, examples are now mostly found in France. Since he had great technical skill in doing accurate landscape views he also published them as etchings. There is another similar painting in the collection, see BHC1891.