Review: Treasures for all seasons
Treasures of Malta
Ed. Giovanni Bonello No. 84, Summer 2022
Published by Maltese Heritage Foundation
Thirty years ago, the establishment of Maltese Heritage Foundation it was a most welcome initiative. It proposed a renaissance of sorts in the local cultural scene although some expressed doubts as to how long such a noble dream could survive on an island where so many high-flying projects are born to the triumphant sound of trumpets only to drown in the dream of -lethargy and being forgetful as it should be.
Fortunately, this was not the case with the Foundation which not only survived but grew from strength to strength and strengthened a vision that had seemed too ambitious. Not only has he organized exhibitions that are cultural landmarks but he has published volumes of researched works that will remain beacons of reference for decades to come. Not to mention her recent venture into podcasts.
The 84th issue of its flagship publication Treasures of Malta published to date are another achievement that every three months reminds us of the great heritage of this small island. The editorial rightly celebrates its past successes and looks forward to several new initiatives in the pipeline. The present issue is also accompanied by a 60-page supplement that records his various exhibitions and publications, as well as including appreciations from local and foreign scholars. In a few years, this edition is bound to become a valuable collector’s item.
The cover of this issue shows the map of the universe of Antonino Saliba who described himself as the Maltese of Gozo. This is a rare late 17th century Dutch hand-coloured copy of the 1582 original which will surely be one of the star attractions of the Gozo Museum when it eventually opens.
On February 13, 1915, the first recorded flight took place in Malta in Port il-Kbir; it lasted about 15 minutes. The Royal Navy first and the Royal Air Force when it was founded in 1918 made significant use of aircraft in their operations. In the Second World War, they helped to save the island from a fascist invasion.
Joseph Galea Debono writes about the first 30 years of aviation in Malta. In 1923, the first aerodrome on land was inaugurated in Hal Far, g[alkemm Kalafrana baqg[et ba]i important of airplanes. The island was a most useful stop for long journeys where its great relevance was duly noted, despite some hundred incidents that occurred between 1930 and 1936. In November of this last year, great damage occurred when the island was hit. by a furious storm which destroys most of the naval squadron.
Nicholas de Gaetano makes a convincing case that the portrait of a ‘Maltese gentleman’ in the Alte Pinakothek in Munich is in fact that of the Grand Master de Rohan painted by Antoine Favray which was presented to the Elector of Bavaria in 1784 , after the creation of the Bavarian Langue. of the Order. The one in the Grand Master’s palace is a faithful copy of Antonio Xuereb, a somewhat shady local artist.
The retired consultant surgeon Charles Swain writes about another Maltese artist of the 20th century: the watercolorist Giuseppe Arcidiacono (1908-97). Mostly self-taught, he found in watercolor a difficult medium that he could exploit and that he continued to evolve and explore in his maturity. His love of the local landscape and the sea and boats are constant themes, with his later works marked by “unmatched power and a remarkable change of style”.
The 84 issues of its main publication Treasures of Malta published to date are another achievement that every three months reminds us of the great heritage of this small island.
Patrick Galea’s favorite object is a modern nativity painting by Esprit Barthet which was used as the cover of the Sunday Times of Malta Christmas supplement in 1972. The painting is not officially registered, it took years of patient research and a stroke of luck for Galea to discover its origin and date.
Malta owes a lot to Vincenzo Bonello and not only to make up for his illegal deportation at the height of the war. Alone, he founded the art section of the museum where he taught fiuto enabled him to purchase many of the fine exhibits we admire today. Theresa Vella writes about this connoisseur of extraordinary talent with an artistic and architectural vision far ahead of his time based on solid archival research. He strengthened the national collection by various means such as pre-emption, exchange of customs duties and death rights, and donations.
It takes more than a few lines in a review pressed for space to give credit to Vella’s exhaustive contribution about a man from whose expertise and generosity we still benefit to this day. Not to mention that he also gave us his eclectic son Giovanni, the general editor of Treasures of Malta, whose various publications and contributions regularly continue to enlighten and delight the cultural scene.
And it is Giovanni Bonello himself who, as usual, goes into a subject that was hardly skimmed before: three-dimensional photography in Victorian Malta. His personal collection includes about a hundred objects with a Maltese theme but, as they are not signed, it is not possible to say whether they are works of a local photographer. One picture, however, has been attributed to the pioneer Leandro Preziosi.
One notable case was the renowned German photographer Giorgio Sommer who may have published some thirty local scenes between 1860 and 1865. There seems to have been an impressive international demand judging by the number of brands selling such scenes that Bonello uncovered. Anyway, as the author concludes, there is still much to be done in this area.
Petra Caruana Dingli writes about a beautiful baroque marble altar commissioned by the nuns of the monastery of San Pietro in Mdina in 1748 which involved several of the main craftsmen of that time. The author identifies some of the sisters who contributed to this initiative most accomplished by marmist Saverio Camilleri of Isla, while Francesco Zahra was going to the door of the tabernacle.[in30skudibiexipit[til-biebtat-tabernakluuxixog[olie[or
Stephen Degiorgio and Valeria Vanesio describe a newly discovered lavish 18th-century manuscript of the Order’s statutes as passed by the 1776 general chapter, the first to be made since 1631 and the last to be called in Malta. This beautifully written and bound book is in a local private collection after appearing at auction in France.
This unique copy of 162 pages is a certified copy of the statutes that was sent to Rome to obtain official acceptance from the Pope as the ultimate head of the brotherhood. The relevant papal bull arrived in Malta in 1799.
This issue also contains the regular cultural review by Cecilia Xuereb as well as an exhaustive review by Christian Attard of Conrad Thake’s book on the Addolorata cemetery.
Independent journalism costs money. Times of Malta support for price of a coffee.
Support us