As spring unfurled its petals and the world began to thaw, Easter arrived not just as a celebration of renewal, but as a gentle invitation to pause, reflect, and reconnect. And most important of all to celebrate the greatest of all Christian feasts: Easter Sunday.
Another treat was the Easter issue of Treasures of Malta, generous issue of 88 pages with illustrations. Moreover it comes with two broadsheets which were originally published in 1975.
I browsed through through TOM No 92 and read many of the articles. But that was some months ago and I never got round to writing about it. Now that the Summer issue is out, another generous 96-pager, let me remind you of what's in the Easter issue.
The General Editor of TOM is Giovanni Bonello; Senior Editor Giulina Privatelli and Creative Director Michael Lowell.
The first article is by the indefaticable and learned Thomas Freller: A Chance Encounter with Malta in 1817. This article uncovers the unexpected visit of a distinguished group of Austrian scholars to Malta in April 1817. Their ship, the Austria, was diverted to the Grand Harbour due to rough seas. Among the visitors were zoologists, botanists, mineralogists, and artists - including the young Thomas Ender, who would later become a renowned landscape painter. They explored Valletta, critiqued St John's Co-Cathedral as "in bad taste," and admired Preti's works while missing Caravaggio's altogether.
Their observations of Maltese society were sharp and sometimes unflattering, describing locals as having "a malicious look." (Oh dear!)
They also visited San Anton Palace, noting the exotic animals kept there, reflecting Malta's trade in live animals. What would they say today when tigers and leopards and other wild animals are secretly kept on roofs?
Freller enriches the narrative with Ender's sketches and reflections, offering a rare glimpse into early 19th-century Malta through foreign eyes.
A Story of Veneration and Preservation by Jonathan Farrugia who is a diocesan priest and head of department at University of Malta makes interesting reading. Dr Farrugia traces the journey of 17th-century Marian altarpieces from Mqabba's old parish church, including one painting thought lost but now found in a private collection. This is a beautifully illustrated article.
The Crucifixion of Christ on the Golgotha: A Salvage Project is by Nadette Xuereb & Amy Sciberras. The authors, an art historian and founder and director of the fine arts restoration company ASC Conservation Centre Ltd, give us details of the restoration of a significant
religious artwork, revealing its historical and devotional importance.
Prof Mario Buhagiar unearths epitaphs and stories from a long-forgotten quarantine cemetery that of the Lazzaretto Cemetery of St George ('Tal-Ħofra') on Manoel Island, painting a picture of Malta's social and political past. It is touching to read the epitaphs of people, some foreign, some local, who, I am sure, did not expect to end their lives on Manoel Island.
In Antonio Bosio (1575-1629): Unearthing a Life Chiara Cecalupo, explores the life of the pioneering archaeologist who laid the groundwork for Christian catacomb studies, with ties to Malta's subterranean heritage.
Chiara Cecalupo is Marie Curie Fellow at the University of Malta.
From Our Digitisation Studio Anna Cremona showcases recent digitisation efforts, preserving fragile documents and artworks for future generations.
In She Danced One Evening in Late Spring... Kathrina Farrugia-Kriel pays a lyrical tribute to Malta's matriarch to the art of ballet, Nathalie Poutiatine, interpreting a rare 8mm film as her choreographic swansong.
In the popular series My Favourite Object, Charles Paul Azzopardi writes on a cherished item, revealing its historical and emotional layers. I found this article to be very moving.
In Bookshelf Louis Scerri & Christian Attard review two recent publications: More Histories (II): Blaming it on Eve and The Brush of the Evangelist, offering thoughtful insights into their themes.
In her Cultural Review Cecilia Xuereb covers recent exhibitions and cultural happenings, from visual arts to performance while in
Calendar Highlights Antonia Critien lists upcoming heritage events, exhibitions, and cultural dates to mark in your diary.
This is a truly rich issue of TOM. This one page review cannot possibly do it justice.
Now I am looking forward to reading the Summer issue.
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