Paintings of the Annunciation of the Virgin in Malta : a stylistic and iconographic study

Abstract

The scope of this dissertation is to provide a chronological study of paintings of the Annunciation of the Virgin in Malta from the Late Medieval period to the mid-twentieth century. Both recognized and anonymous works are brought to light with a thorough critical and stylistic analysis in connection with the development of their iconography. The paintings shall also be supported by an outline of their history within the historical and devotional context of churches housing them. Parallels with other paintings, which do not necessarily carry this title, are drawn in order to justify some attributions. Numerous publications about the Marian cult and devotion during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries have been written. The most significant ongoing research is namely that of Mario Buhagiar, Keith Sciberras, Vincent Borg and Dominic Cutajar. Other important sources which provided an essential historical background to the cataloguing of paintings are those of Achille Ferres and Vincenzo Bonello. However, the study of the theme of the Annunciation in an artistic context was never fully accomplished as a subject of study in isolation. In this art historical study, I attained a profound review of most of the public and ecclesiastical paintings of the Annunciation of the Virgin coupled with research in ecclesiastical manuscripts and primary sources from the Archives of the Cathedral Museum at Mdina. In addition to these, numerous secondary sources were consulted. Various attributions to unknown paintings presented in this dissertation are undertaken according to a technical and stylistic analysis. Unluckily enough, most of those paintings which are generally of vernacular I popular production, and therefore of limited quality, remain in search of an artist. However, the latter can be another field of further research for future study. Paintings of the Annunciation of the Virgin in private collections have only been included when there is a specific stylistic reference to the church paintings under study. There are a number of foreign paintings of good quality. Most, however, are of an unknown provenance. These have not been included, also because of difficulties with the private collectors themselves. Some handicaps which have emerged in the presentation of this dissertation are the poor state of preservation of some paintings, the unsuitable location of paintings, and the disadvantage of having altar paintings partially covered by altar accessories.