A Vincenzo Maria Pellegrini painting was donated to Bank of Valletta by the artist's son, Gabriel, to outgoing BOV chairman Joseph F.X. Zahra.

Mr Pellegrini said this was an abstract oil painting entitled Ennui. He said the donation of the work of art to the Bank of Valletta was a result of what he was taught by his father, that is, to share with others.

He acknowledged that the bank, through the foresight and love of art of Mr Zahra, had been giving the opportunity during the past six years to all Maltese to appreciate the art of their contemporary artists with the organisation of the BOV retrospective exhibitions held twice a year.

Mr Pellegrini said it was in this context that he decided to donate one of his father's paintings to BOV. "This is my and my family's way of saying thank you to the bank's chairman and the board of directors at BOV for their valid and most useful contribution towards the appreciation of art in Malta," Mr Pellegrini said.

Mr Zahra thanked Mr Pellegrini and his family for their gesture. He said the painting will be on display at the bank's head office in Zachary Street, Valletta where the bank has some of the finest works of art forming part of its collection on display. These include works by Emvin Cremona, Esprit Barthet and Antoine Camilleri among others.

Notary Dr Vincenzo Maria Pellegrini (1911-1997), apart from being a foremost poet and scriptwriter, was also a great patron of the arts. He was a founder member with Josef Kalleya of La Scuola del Nudo and the Società di Belle Arti. He was the first to introduce Abstract Art in Malta when he held at the Institute for Cultural Exchanges during 1963 the first ever abstract art exhibition.

The presentation was also attended by Myriam Pellegrini, Franco and Marcelle Pellegrini, John Davis (a family friend) and by Michael Galea, head of PR and communications at Bank of Valletta.