Bozzetti. The Ingenuity of Conception is the name of an exhibition catalogue that has been published to accompany as well as throw more light on the artistic items that were displayed at Rabat, Gozo's Banca Giuratale in Pjazza Indipendenza, more popularly known as 'It-Tokk' from the 27th of April to the 27th of May 2018. The Banca has been the venue for many-an-exhibition along the years, but Bozzetti was one of a kind. No wonder it attracted a great number of visitors and lovers of local art alike. The publication has as its editor Gozitan lawyer and judicial assistant at the Courts of Law, Dr Aaron Attard-Hili. His love for Melitensia is no secret. Throughout the years, he has published a great number of articles and essays of a historical nature in The Gozo Observer as well as in various other renowned periodicals and magazines. Attard is interested in all that has to do with his native island and in this passion of his, he has found the company of a younger researcher, Paul Cassar of Victoria. Cassar is employed with Heritage Malta but his love for Gozitan history and art in general has long been noticed. The publication we have in our hands contains studies by these two art connoisseurs. The booklet is divided into three parts. The first twenty-two pages are dedicated to Paul Cassar's study entitled Sacred Bozzetti in Gozo and features colourful pictures of some of Gozo's most renowned titular paintings. They are aimed to help the reader understand better the notes that the author provides about them. When referring to a certain portrait or painting, the author includes a number within brackets with reference to the artistic piece on which he focuses his attention. The second and middle part of the publication features the exhibition catalogue itself. This presents the core of the booklet and strictly speaking, this is the raison d'etre of the publication itself. The third and last section of the book is Dr Aaron Attard-Hili's work; it is a collection of sixteen biographical sketches of different, local or foreign, whose name has been connected to Gozo for posteriority because of their works which can be enjoyed and admired in Gozo's various parish and secondary churches. Bozzetti. The Ingenuity of Conception is a must for all those who want to delve deeper into Gozo's ecclesiastical artistic treasury and know better the heritage that has been passed on to us by those who made it a point that Gozo's churches would not be lacking in artistic splendour. May the future generation cherish unique heritage and leave no stone unturned to see that they do not lack timely restoration as well as timeless appreciation.
Aaron Attard-Hili (ed),
(Exhibition Catalogue; Banca Giuratale Gozo);
May 2018
80 pages