A grand exhibition featuring the life and work of renowned portrait artist Edward Caruana Dingli is currently on display at the Palace in Valletta. Gerald Fenech catches up with Lisa Attard from Fondazzjoni Patrimonju Malti, to talk about the specifics of the exhibition and some of the finer details to look out for
I have always had a penchant for Edward Caruana Dingli, and in particular his portraits, which, with uncanny clarity and dignity, recreate a world which ha been perhaps a lost in time. Lisa Attard has been working flat out on this project and I first asked her what prompted FPM to organize an exhibition on Caruana Dingli in the first place. “For Fondazzjoni Patrimonju Malti, an exhibition on Edward Caruana Dingli has long been in the pipeline. Previous exhibitions were given priority, simply because it was thought that they would generate more interest among the Maltese public. Edward Caruana Dingli, however, being one of the finest portrait painters Malta has ever produced, was definitely kept in mind. Patrimonju had just completed works on the restoration of Palazzo Falson in Mdina, when we were approached by local portrait painter Madeline Gera, as well as Nadine Briffa, who had just completed her MA thesis on Edward Caruana Dingli, and rekindled the idea of putting an exhibition of his works together. Having enough material to work with, this was the right time to embark on this project.”
Fondazzjoni Patrimonju Malti had earmarked Antique Jewellery in Malta to be their next major exhibition following the Palazzo Falson restoration. However, due to the large amount of research that still had to be done on the subject plus the hefty cost this would have to sustain, it made sense to fit the Caruana Dingli exhibition in between. Considering this artist’s ability, his voluminous output, and his influence on Maltese 20th century art, this exhibition definitely promises to be a great contribution to the Maltese cultural scene.
Undoubtedly such a complex task involves substantial preparation and definitely includes some liaison with private collectors with which a large residue of Caruana Dingli’s paintings reside. What preparations were involved for such an exhibition and how did the owners of paintings in private collections co-operate?
“The work which has been ongoing for the past two years progressed from the initial communications with the lenders of the paintings, viewing all the paintings to determine their condition, their restoration etc. A number of paintings have been brought from overseas, especially for this exhibition. The necessary research was conducted, and photographs taken, in preparation for the exhibition and the book which is going to be published to accompany the exhibition. Private collectors have always been extremely generous and helpful. And Patrimonju has always found extreme cooperation and support, from lenders, who are more than willing to help the foundation in its mission to unravel the hidden treasures of Malta’s heritage. Without them, all of Patrimonju’s exhibitions would not have been possible”, Attard adds.
Caruana Dingli is remembered as an outstanding portrait painter but there were other intriguing and interesting facets to his work. His love for all that was beautiful, and an impeccable eye for detail, coupled with his unfaltering technique produced the most appealing and charming of paintings of the 20th century. He was primarily a portrait painter in oils, and his sitters included some of the most prominent figures of Maltese society, as well as nobility, politicians, clerics and prelates. They were portrayed wearing their most lavish clothing, jewellery and badges of office. Caruana Dingli had the superb capability of capturing his sitter’s personality and immortalising it on canvas and his portraits are both captivating and engaging. His male figures exalt pride, power and earnestness, while his female portraits, sensuality, elegance and sophistication.
When not painting portraits, Edward Caruana Dingli turned his eyes to the Maltese countryside, the coast, and village squares. His numerous street scenes also include farmers returning with their flocks, various hawkers at the market, and children playing traditional street games. Whatever the subject, his paintings are characterised by a prominent verve and charm, accentuated through his unpolished brushwork of rich brilliant colour. Being a true romantic, he often beautified all that he painted. While not completely true to life, these paintings celebrate the essence of the Malta but with a hint of idealism, in fact, many were used to promote Malta at the time. Some of the best pieces on exhibit in fact, include Edward Caruana Dingli’s most iconic works, which were immortalised in the book ‘The Colour and Life of Malta from Original Paintings by Chev. Edw. Caruana Dingli’ published by Critien’s in 1927 which was used for the promotion of the Maltese islands.
The exhibition is being held in two of the state rooms of The Palace, namely the throne room and the dining room and these have been specially designed by Michael Lowell CEO of Fondazzjoni Patrimonju Malti to host the exhibition. There are 254 paintings will be on exhibit – 170 portraits and 84 studies and folkloristic scenes, which are being exhibited according to theme, in specially prepared rooms and corridors. Several showcases will be exhibiting personal items like photographs, letters whilst the State rooms of the Palace have been completely transformed.
A comprehensive exhibition catalogue will be launched with the exhibition, and will include a series of essays that will shed light onto Edward Caruana Dingli’s life and his work. It will set the context for his paintings, the social situation in early 20th century Malta, from which Caruana Dingli drew his inspiration. Edward Caruana Dingli: Portraits, Views and Folkloristic Scenes is the last in the series of Patrimonju publications, which have become very collectable.
The exhibition entitled, Edward Caruana Dingli (1876-1950) Portraits, Views and Folkloristic Scenes will be open from the 8th of May until the 6th of June.
Caruana Dingli: a life in art
Edward Caruana Dingli was born in 1876 in what was then called Queensway in Valletta, incidentally in the area where City Gate and Freedom Square now stands (soon to be cleared away to house the new Parliament building). At first he considered an army career, as his father was a high ranking officer in the Royal Malta Fencibles. But he opted for art instead.
Caruana Dingli studied under Giuseppe Cali, and came to be known as a specialist in the art of portraiture. In his long career he painted several well known figures from the business world, the government, royalty as well as the ecclesiastical authorities.
Between 1919 and 1947, Caruana Dingli was director of the Government School of Arts. Among his better-known students were Willie Apap, Anton Inglott, Emvin Cremona and Epsrit Barthet.
Caruana Dingli painted right up till the very end of his life, which sadly was a lonely one by the time he passed away in 1950. Both his wife and mistress had by then deserted him, and in the post war melee his painting style quickly fell out of fashion.
However, today’s reappraisal of his art will surely serve to shed light on one of the masters of the art of portraiture in the 20th century.
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“For Fondazzjoni Patrimonju Malti, an exhibition on Edward Caruana Dingli has long been in the pipeline. Previous exhibitions were given priority, simply because it was thought that they would generate more interest among the Maltese public. Edward Caruana Dingli, however, being one of the finest portrait painters Malta has ever produced, was definitely kept in mind. Patrimonju had just completed works on the restoration of Palazzo Falson in Mdina, when we were approached by local portrait painter Madeline Gera, as well as Nadine Briffa, who had just completed her MA thesis on Edward Caruana Dingli, and rekindled the idea of putting an exhibition of his works together. Having enough material to work with, this was the right time to embark on this project.”
