An art historical gazetteer of the figural baroque altar reredos of the Maltese islands

Abstract

This study is intended as a comprehensive data of the figural baroque altar reredoses in Malta. Reredoses were initially constructed as an architectural structure eventually following a line of development, and finally came to be embellished with figural sculpture which could be studied in its own right. Maltese reredoses of the early seventeenth century still followed Renaissance conventions whereas in the eighteenth century reredoses came to be decorated in the baroque idiom. Their artistic producers were soon referred to as ‘Scalpellini’, the name mostly derived from the nicknames the families were labeled with. It is also interesting that some of these scalpellini later became famous architects and designed some of our magnificent churches. As in architecture the local globigerina lime stone played an important role in these embellishments. It provided an excellent medium for these decorations on account of its easiness to be carved and shaped. This gazetteer aims to delineate what is left of these figural baroque reredoses in the Maltese islands, reredoses which form part of our most important artistic treasures on the islands. This study does not follow a chronological sequence but a thematic order. The following paragraphs will acquaint the reader with the development of the reredos and the succeeding chapters will explore how the reredos came to their being and still stand to this present day. The first chapter studies the development of the most important altar in the Catholic Church, the Titular Altar and how the inclusion of figural sculpture was first incorporated in these altars. The second chapter treats those altars decorated with angels adoring or accompanying the altarpiece. The third chapter discusses the concept of the baroque macchina and angels in celestial glory heavily covering, mainly, transept altars. The last chapter examines altars with elaborate theatrical framework and the inclusion of decorative putti.