The significance of Luigi Fontana's St Philip of Agira in the context of 19th century art in Malta

Abstract

The silver processional titular statue of St Philip of Agira by the Rome-based painter, sculptor, and architect Luigi Fontana (1827-1908), which arrived in Malta from Rome as a result of a commission from the parish church of the same saint at Żebbuġ on the 29th July 1863, is undoubtedly one of the most refined ecclesiastical treasures in Malta and one of the glories of nineteenth century Art in the Maltese Islands. Consequently, the St Philip is of fundamental importance for the knowledge and study of this important but unfortunately rather sidelined period. It not only provides a forceful, tangible link with the Catholic artistic milieu of Rome at the time of Pope Pius IX (reg.1846-78) but also epitomizes the dominant Purist style in the Eternal City which had been championed in mid-century by one of the most influential Italian artists of the time: Tommaso Minardi (1787-1871), of whom Fontana was not only the main artistic heir, but also his intimate collaborator. This statue thus brought Malta forcefully within the very centre of contemporary Roman art, being produced at precisely the same time that important masterpieces were being produced by Minardi, Fontana and their contemporaries. The St Philip galvanized and sealed Malta’s great admiration not only for Roman art, but in particular, for Minardi himself. In fact, the name of Minardi was by no means new to Malta and his name had already come to epitomize the apex of artistic excellence which Maltese artists by and large sought to emulate and accomplish, but this work brought the Maltese artistic scene closer than ever to the artist, because it belonged to his immediate artistic ambience. [Excerpt]