Remembering Joseph Briffa (1)

Last friday marked the anniversary of the death of Joseph Briffa, RA. After reading the article by his grandson Roberto J. Buontempo (The Sunday Times, January 15) a flood of memories came to me.

I feel so indebted to Professor Briffa, as I called him, who was a teacher of mine. I recall his studio in Birkirkara and the smell of linseed oil and bjankett, his dedication and thoroughness, and his astonishing skill and dexterity as a draughtsman and painter.

These gifts were coupled with a great sensitivity. One saw this in his innumerable studies, drawings and oil paintings in his studio - what a breathtaking sight!

I remember Mr Buontempo who had sat for me and whose portrait I had painted on more than one occasion. His article unfortunately points out that Briffa's work can only be viewed by appointment at the Museum of Fine Arts. Hopefully this will change.

As Mr Buontempo rightly points out, Briffa is indeed one of Malta's greats, along with Antonio Sciortino and Edward Caruana Dingli. It is today, so many years later, that I realise how profoundly grateful I am to him and what he taught me at a relatively early age, even if for many years my work bore nothing of his legacy, he has left his mark.

It was a privilege to have been taught by him, and I, like others, shall never forget him.