Apse paintings in the Maltese Islands

Abstract

This dissertation attempts to give an overview of the paintings which adorn the apses in the churches of the Maltese Islands. The apse forms an important part of the church's decorative scheme, and has as yet, only been partially considered in any church paintings' study. This study is specifically dedicated to the paintings found only on apses, and does not include paintings in the form of lunettes, despite the fact that there are a number of significant lunettes which adorn the various Maltese churches' choirs or transept arms. The study begins with discussing the meaning and development of the apse on the Maltese Islands, the different mediums and techniques with which the paintings have been executed, the artist's stylistic tendencies and the iconographic aspects of the narrative. The study concentrates on the time span which begins with the arrival of Mattia Preti in the mid 17th century, up to the Modem sensibilities manifested the mid 20th century. The discussion is divided into four chapters which flow in chronological order, discussing the 17th and 18th century artists; Malta's 19th century artists; the Italian artists who were awarded commissions on the islands; and ends with the Modem sensibilities on the Maltese Islands and how these were manifested in churches. Each chapter discusses the artists, both as individuals within the Maltese history as well as being part of the international artistic sphere, since the artistic endeavour of these artists cannot be discussed in isolation, namely due to the fact that Malta, prior to its independence, always formed part of some other more significant country therefore international influences were always prevalent.