Manuscripts, a watch, and other treasures

Treasures of Malta, No. 52, Vol. XVIII, No.1, Fondazzjoni Patrimonju Malti, Malta, € 8.75.

The latest number of Treasures of Malta continues where the previous issues of the magazine left off, that is in drawing attention to aspects of Maltese culture, including several little-known treasures.

In spite of the fact that so much has been written about the Great Siege, Robert Thake has succeeded in unearthing a largely unexplored account- Louis Scerri

Theresa Zammit Lupi, who has studied book and paper conservation in London and Florence, highlights one of Malta’s least-known treasures: the magnificent L’Isle Adam choir books in St John’s Museum.

She writes about the making of the manuscripts throwing light on various interesting aspects such as how the parchment was prepared and how scribes went about their work. The end result was a real masterpiece which many an international museum would give its eyes to have among its exhibits, but which many Maltese are completely oblivious of their existence and importance.

Chris Grech, of the Catholic University of America in Washington DC, tells the fascinating story that links a watch and empress, and a governor of Malta.

The empress is the ill-fated Eugenie, wife of Napoleon III, who ended up in exile in Britain under the protection of Queen Victoria, while Sir Lintorn Simmons was governor of Malta between 1884 and 1888.

The watch is one of the five surviving Moses watches made by Charles Duncommon early in the 19th century and which last year fetched an astonishing over half a million US dollars in an auction in Geneva.

Erika Falzon of the conservation department at Heritage Malta writes about the scientific analyses that were carried on the paintings of St Francis of Paola and St Stephen which have long been attributed to the famous Caravaggist painter Jusepe de Ribera (1591-1652) to determine whether these are genuine autograph works or merely good copies.

Therefore, the attributions have been made on stylistic and aesthetic grounds but this analysis passes the definitive judgement

The conservation and restoration of Agostino Masucci’s Martyrdom of St Barbara at the Capuchinchurch of St Barbara, Kalkara isdiscussed by Pierre Bugeja andMartin Micallef.

The painting, which dates back to 1739, was recently restored from a severely damaged state. The contribution is really a report of the procedure adopted that allows one to have a behind-the-scenes look at how professional restoration is carried out and should be greatly appreciated by all those with an interest in the subject

This issue also sees the start of a new series on modern art in Malta written by the late art critic Dennis Vella. The first contribution highlights the life and works of Giorgio Preca (1909-84). One of the more important pioneers of modern art in Malta, Preca spent most of his life working in Rome but still managed to have a notable influence on the local scene.

Preca also made quite a name as a portrait painter both in Rome and locally, although his forays into sacred art were sometimes not accepted by the conservative general public, as happened with his Crucifixion which was so unjustly removed from Stella Maris church a furor di popolo.

In spite of the fact that so much has been written and rewritten about the Great Siege, Robert Thake has succeeded in unearthing a largely unexplored account.

This is a near contemporary description written by Natalis Comes (1520-82), the first edition of which is ‘a source of confusion and speculation’ because it was attributed to a ‘different author’, Hieronymus Comitis Alexandrini.

The author traces the origin and development of this confusion and then focuses on a particularly rare edition, which is practically identical, to be found at the University of Malta Library that has been overlooked.

Last year marked the 50th anniversary of the death of Malta’s national poet Dun Karm and Paul Xuereb writes a brief account of the man and his poetry, as well as the mementoes connected with him that are kept in the Dun Karm Room at the Cathedral Museum in Mdina.

Xuereb refers to three salient moments in Dun Karm’s life that were to have an effect on his poetry and also points out the most important exhibits that are so lovingly cared after in the room dedicated to him in the Mdina museum, including his pen and typewriter.

Nicholas de Piro shares with us his favourite object from his marvellous collection at Casa Rocca Piccola which turn out to be a very rare set of a caparaçon and a pair of fontes de pistolet.

And yet these items, which are possibly the most important exhibits in his entire collection, were until a few years ago stored away from public eyes as some sort of mysterious objects which nobody could explain and interpret.

An added bonus to all the collectors of the series is a subject index to the illustrations in and an index to vol. XVII of Treasures of Malta.