In this week’s issue of Crackers we bring you some ideas on what to prepare for the Halloween festivities. Halloween’s theme is spooky and commonly associated characters include ghosts, witches, bats, black cats, spiders and owls. Black and orange are the traditional colours of Halloween and there are also elements of the autumn season such as pumpkins and scarecrows reflected in the symbols of Halloween. Halloween is celebrated next Wednesday 31 October and if you want to create that spooky theme at home, we invite you to try one of the crafts brought to you in our Creative Ideas section. Remember to always ask for grown-ups’ assistance in preparing these crafts.

Heritage Malta have once again sent us a very interesting article. This week it is about Michelangelo Merisi better knows as Caravaggio. Heritage Malta has organised a number of events to commemorate the 400th anniversary of Caravaggio's stay in Malta. Moreover they have also published an educational workbook on Caravaggio. You will be able to do one of the activities from this workbook in our Games Section. It would be a great idea if next Sunday you visit the National Museum of Archaeology where Heritage Malta are organising a number of educational activities specifically targeted for children.

See you next Thursday

Francis

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Creative Ideas for HALLOWEEN

SCARY PUMPKIN

• Permanent markers in different colours

• White paint

• A big pumpkin

• Candle

• String

• Knife to hollow out the pumpkin

Clean the dirt from the pumpkin with a wet cloth and let it dry.

Remove the insides of the pumpkin with a big spoon. Ask mummy to help you as sometimes the insides can be hard to remove.

Cut out a pair of eyes from the pumpkin and create a scary face or any design on your pumpkin using the permanent markers and white paint.

Arrange a candle inside so that light will shine through the holes and make the pumpkin scarier.

Make two small holes on the top of the pumpkin. Thread string through and secure properly. The string will act as handles for your pumpkin.

BOO CANDLES

• Permanent markers in assorted colours

• 3 mini pumpkins

• 3 glass holders

• 3 candles bigger than the glass holders

• Black glitter

• Glue that dries clear

• Knife to hollow out the pumpkins

Pumpkins

Using a knife and with the help of one of your parents hollow out each pumpkin (make sure the opening is large enough to hold the candle inside)

Add glue along the rim of each opening and let glue drip down the sides of the pumpkins.

Sprinkle the black glitter over the glue and let dry.

Using a black permanent marker spell out BOO across the three pumpkins.

Candles

Using the permanent markers decorate the candles with bats, spider webs, spiders and any Halloween goblins you wish.

Add glue to the rim of the candles and dip in the back glitter and let dry.

Insert the candles into the pumpkins.

Never light the candles when you are alone at home but always ask mummy or daddy to help you.

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MICHELANGELO MERISI

Who was Michelangelo Merisi?

Caravaggio’s real name was Michelangelo Merisi. He was born in Milan on 29 September 1571. He was brought up in the little village of Caravaggio, which is very close to his hometown, and for this reason he was nicknamed by his friends – Il Caravaggio.

Michelangelo Merisi was a highly gifted artist. He started his artistic training as an apprentice in the studio of Simone Peterzano in Milan, and later on moved to Rome to further his studies and practice with Giuseppe Cesari, also known as Il Cavaliere d’Arpino.

Caravaggio worked in various parts of Italy – Rome, Naples, Sicily and also in Malta. His paintings have been commissioned by various patrons including the Church, private individuals and the Knights of the Order of St John. Many of his works today adorn churches, private collections, museums and majestic palaces.

Caravaggio in Malta

Caravaggio was a bit short-tempered and his aggressive character led him in various trouble. He fled Rome for Naples in 1606 as he was charged with murder, and a few months later, in 1607, he came to Malta. He felt safer here, far from the Roman authorities who wanted him arrested.

While in Malta he was made a Knight of the Order of St John and he had a number of friends on the island. One of the works that Caravaggio painted during his stay in Malta was the portrait of Grandmaster Alof de Wignacourt. Today this painting can be seen at the Louvre Museum in Paris. In Malta Caravaggio painted two very important works – The Beheading of St John and St Jerome. Both paintings can be seen at St John’s Co Cathedral in Valletta.

Very soon, Caravaggio found himself in trouble again as he was involved in a fight. The knights were very angry and so he was imprisoned in Fort St Angelo, in Vittoriosa. After mysteriously managing to escape from prison, Caravaggio was expelled from the Order as a punishment for his unruly behaviour. Caravaggio fled to Sicily and soon he was back again in Italy where he died in 1610.

Article provided by Heritage Malta

Heritage Malta, the national agency for museums, cultural heritage and conservation practice has organised a number of events to commemorate the 400th anniversary of Caravaggio’s stay in Malta.

The highlight of these activities is the exhibition currently mounted at the National Museum of Archaeology and the National Museum of Fine Arts in Valletta entitled Caravaggio L’Immagine Del Divino – Esperjenza ta’ Darba – A Unique experience. The exhibition presents eight works of Caravaggio. This exhibition continues at the National Museum of Fine Arts with an exhibition of paintings by the so-called Caravaggisti artists.

The exhibition is also complemented with an educational workbook on Caravaggio plus a number of educational activities which are specifically targeted for children and which are taking place every Sunday at the National Museum of Archaeology.

The exhibition runs until the end of November and is open daily between 9am and 7.30pm. The admission ticket gives holders the right to visit both the National Museum of Archaeology and the National Museum of Fine Arts.