When the article against him appeared in Il-Ħmar, Antonio Sciortino had no doubt that the ‘Giosafat’ who had written it was none other than his failed student who had wasted his own, and everyone else’s time in Rome and had so little to show for it. Now, committed to resentment with unflinching loyalty and hell-bent on vendetta, the student was having a vicious go at his former mentor in Rome and at the latter’s protector in Malta.

Sciortino wrote and typed a reply in Italian, meant to be published in one of the Italian papers printed in Malta. He left the choice of the newspaper to Vincenzo Bonello, obviously hoping he would opt for the Malta, since 1883 the leading anti-colonialist evening daily in the island (one pound bought you a year’s subscription).

Though Sciortino’s studies in Rome had been sponsored by the Stricklands, dependable champions of imperialism, the sculptor then still cast himself as a pro-Italian culture enthusiast in local politics. In time he came to terms with the reality that there would be more in it for him were he to hitch a ride on the imperialist bandwagon – which, quite predictably, he did. Enrico Mizzi, editor of the Malta for a lifetime and eventually Nationalist Prime Minister of Malta in 1950, belonged to a larger group of local art lovers on friendly terms with Sciortino and keen to promote his career.

On May 4, Sciortino sent Bonello his typed reply to Giosafat, with a covering letter in which he described the article against him as “very stupid”. It appeared quite evident to him that Giosafat had no idea what he was writing about and was solely fuelled by high octane envy, judging by the way he wanted to destroy both him and Bonello.

“It will not be easy for him, as the one who attacks must know what he is writing about, and not just invent poison and more poison.” He suggested that father too should put in his own reply, separately from Sciortino’s. “I personally do not give any importance to certain idiots who would make even chickens burst out laughing... I am not of the opinion that I should publish the article, as this is of no importance, unless you think it necessary, so I leave it to you to decide.”

The truth is, he had publication very much in mind when he wrote his counter-attack, but preferred to leave the final decision to his mentor in Malta.

Sciortino’s reply has to be read in the light of his certainty that Giosafat, author of the defamatory libel, was none other than the Maltese sculpture student who had done so badly in Rome.

I believe that the main part of the reply that Sciortino sent my father for publication is worth translating. It is not often that outsiders are allowed insights into the internal rivalries among artists, in this case lapsing into a coarse, unseemly slanging match between two fishwives after the pub’s closing time.

Sciortino wrote with the clear agenda of reaching two goals: to reassert his artistic integrity and reputation, on the one hand, and on the other, to expose his critic for what he was: an incompetent rival riven by jealousy and far too dim not to advertise it. A particularly unedifying spectacle for either of them, and the most inappropriate of circumstances in which to tear each other apart, seeing they were actually squabbling over the figure of Christ, the ultimate ascetic of mysticism, and that of the pop star of humility and self-effacement, Fra Diegu.

Father seems to have opted against forwarding to the editor Sciortino’s letter, though it is not clear why

Sciortino’s approach ends up appearing unhelpfully aggressive and bellicose. The author tried to wear a ‘literary’ style, threading the higher registers of satire and invective, but frankly, he lacked the skills to carry it off, and the result is often cumbersome, stilted and well over the top, clumsy as in clumsy. Clunking sarcasm doesn’t get him far.

He strives to seem superior, unconcerned even, but this ends making him appear more peeved still. As an exercise in dialectics, I believe it just falls short, almost as indecorous as Giosafat’s spleen-fest. He could have pounded Giosafat into the ground by being lighter, frugally ironic, devastatingly distant, lethally amusing, with alienated chill.

Inauguration of the Christ the King monument in Floriana.Inauguration of the Christ the King monument in Floriana.

Here comes Sciortino’s Philippic, in an almost literal translation, retaining even one sentence impossibly long:

“Illustrious editor,

Allow me a few lines to reply to the author of the article signed ‘Giosafat’ published in the daily Il-Ħmar of April 3, who, referring to the monument to be erected in honour of Fra Diegu, deigned to refer to my modest person.

“It is of little importance that he referred to me to speak ill of me, seeing that the hurt of hearing ill spoken of me was offset, with compound interests, by the pleasure of discovering a fresh and perfumed flowering of artistic criticism, from which the hallmark of originality is certainly not lacking.

“The illustrious Giosafat shows himself thoroughly competent and endowed with an uncommon and vivid imagination when he affirms that my Christ is nothing but a plagiarism of the Christ of the well-known artist Prof. Leonardo Bistolfi. Notwithstanding that the illustrious critic reveals himself a novel in art criticism, one cannot deny that the outstanding virtue that fascinates, enchants and shines with fluorescent bursts of the light of genius, is the sheer originality of his critical judgements, of the purely authentic brand.

“It is a fact that newspapers and periodicals, art and literature magazines, that had illustrated and commented on my work, never made the slightest hint at this alleged plagiarism, and this is all the more significant in as much as the important personalities who deigned to honour me with their precious and worthy comments and showed their appreciation for my work, knew very well the works of my friend Prof. Leonardo Bistolfi, who (just note the coincidence!), himself failed to notice the plagiarism.

“But, praise the Lord, what respected and illustrious world-famous critics missed, what the very Prof. Leonardo Bistolfi, whose work I would have copied failed to notice, is suddenly uncovered by the ineffable Giosafat, who, after this discovery, which he has shown the light of day following a laborious pregnancy lasting 10 years (the Christ the King monument had been unveiled in 1917), he has now acquired the right to a little place in the sun in international criticism, where, in the midst of so much austerity and grimness of judgement, it will necessarily provoke the most irrepressible amusement.

Inauguration of the Fra Diegu monument in Ħamrun.Inauguration of the Fra Diegu monument in Ħamrun.

“As regards my lack of scholastic degrees about which the so-called Giosafat occupies and preoccupies himself, and of which he claims I am totally wanting, I would be really gratified if what this illustrious critic affirms were true, as, that being the case, I would have the satisfaction of seeing a higher value acknowledged to my works, seeing they were by me conceived and executed, without any grounding in systematic studies.

“But, for the sake of truth, I cannot allow myself this flattery because, to my shame, I followed a regular course of studies in Rome from 1901 to 1904, at the Regio Istituto Superiore di Belle Arti and I studied, and am still studying, and will keep on studying for as long as I live. To compound my misfortune, I succeeded in obtaining, among all my fellow students, the first prize and the title of professor of art, together with the diploma in architecture. I therefore cannot appropriate for myself the yearned-for satisfaction which the so-called Giosafat would generously and chivalrously bestow on me: that of having succeeded in distinguishing myself, even if humbly, in the arena of art, solely through a leap of genius.

“The only thing that remains to the egregious Giosafat is to keep on hammering with desperate determination the sorry key of my plagiarism, in order to try to convince the committee entrusted with the erection of the monument of Fra Diegu, of my ineptitude to carry out the task, or to anyway subject the project to a competition.

“For the peace of mind of the egregious Giosafat, I want to make it clear that I have not, so far, received any official commission, and that the committee is therefore fully at liberty to make use, or not make use, of my services. It is certain that if the committee were to confer on me the honour to execute this monument, I will strive to produce a work worthy of the humble friar, example of charity and of Christian renunciation, even sacrificing my own personal interests, and this also to spite (fare un dispettuccio) my dear Giosafat.

“If, on the other hand, the committee would want to organise an international competition, which would necessarily imply the budgeting of a considerable sum, given the huge costs this entails, I will certainly not fail to participate.

Mystery still surrounds the identity of Giosafat, though his name was certainly well-known to both Bonello and Sciortino

“But, to expect that I should resign myself to take part in a national competition with beginners in the art of sculpture, wanting in any degrees in art studies that they never completed and only managed with extreme difficulty in some Roman institute only through the persistent recommendations of this writer and who, on returning home without the benefit of either studies or diplomas, starved of the most elementary notions of art, believed they have the right to haul themselves on a platform to let loose their inexhaustible repertoire of the most ridiculous and shameless criticism, dictated by rabid jealousy and nurtured on resentful bile, and who have put on show the high degree of their incompetence and ignorance – to presume that I should compete with these puny creatures who want to be considered artists but who have not so far given the shallowest proof of what they are worth and whose name has never figured in any foreign exhibition, I believe is just too much! Not because of conceit, but for self-respect and decorum. No and no again!

Portrait of Sciortino by Edward Caruana Dingli. Private collection, MaltaPortrait of Sciortino by Edward Caruana Dingli. Private collection, Malta

“Anyway, if the honour of modelling the ascetic figure of the good Fra Diegu and to immortalise his memory in bronze were to fall on me, to the author of the article signed Giosafat would remain the satisfaction of discovering the original from which I copied my new plagiarism and to scream with all the voice he is capable of, in a juicy article which the daily Ħmar will not refuse to accept benevolently in its hospitable columns.

“With the most devout obsequies and grateful thanks, I sign,

Ant. Sciortino”

The sculptor in Rome had burdened Bonello in Malta with the responsibility of ultimately deciding whether to publish his reply or not. Father seems to have opted against forwarding to the editor Sciortino’s letter, though it is not clear why. Maybe because he didn’t like the style; perhaps he felt that publication would be doing Sciortino no favours, or more likely because he disagreed with the sculptor’s determination not to take part in a competition for the Ħamrun monument if this was only to be open to Maltese artists. Bonello would probably have thought it wiser to leave all options unprejudiced.

The paradox of it all is that, in the long run, neither Sciortino nor Giosafat got the commission for the Fra Diegu monument. This was entrusted to the young Ċensu Apap, ironically another pupil trained by Sciortino in Rome. Apap won the competition eventually held in 1931, when he was only 22 years old. The second prize went to Giovanni Spiteri Sacco (1907-1996).

The Governor, Sir David Campbell, and the Archbishop, Dom Mauro Caruana, unveiled the monument on Sunday, October 16, 1932, in the afternoon, with a keynote speech delivered by Sir Arturo Mercieca (who, bafflingly enough, in his long memoirs mentions nothing about the committee he presided). This juvenile success launched Apap towards a long and highly rewarding career.

Sciortino had originally intended to try his chances with this monument too, and had, in fact, already received a request to prepare two bozzetti for it in August 1925, but he ended not taking part at all in this concours, because his budgetary demands and fees could not, due to financial constraints, be met by the committee – he recorded that to deliver a full-figure nine-foot-high bronze statue he would have to charge more than £1,500; and quite likely too because he may still have considered it infra dig to compete with beginners and those he saw as fostering a relentless determination to be losers.

When in Rome, Sciortino and Apap had got on swimmingly together, but I somehow feel the relationship may have soured later, as I rather believe it must have done with Bonello too, though father’s admiration for the artist’s works lasted unabated till the end of his days.

Mystery still surrounds the identity of Giosafat, though his name was certainly well-known to both Bonello and Sciortino. They had no doubts he was the Maltese student of sculpture training in Rome before 1925. But who?

Dennis Vella, in his very thorough and sadly unpublished thesis for his masters in history of art, wrote in great detail about Maltese artists who studied or worked in Rome in the inter-war years, and documents a large number of them, the better and the lesser-known ones too.

But Vella’s lists only start from1926. So I am still at a loss on what face and name to put to Giosafat, Sciortino’s limping nemesis. That name must have been on everybody’s lips in 1926, but it has been playing hide and seek with the collective memory ever since. He chose the nick Giosafat, the valley of the Last Judgement where everything will be disclosed and revealed. Everything, let’s hope, including his real identity.

(Concluded)

Acknowledgements

Thanks to Maroma Camilleri at the National Library and to Louis Borg Manche for having placed the Sciortino-Manche file at my disposal.

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