Midsea Books, in collaboration with the Department of History of Art at the University of Malta, have produced a festschrift to celebrate Mario Buhagiar’s outstanding lifetime academic achievements. This sizeable volume was produced on the initiative of Charlene Vella, who edited the book.
Titled At Home in Art: Essays in Honour of Mario Buhagiar, the book has been prepared to honour the legacy of Buhagiar and his love for the art and history of Malta. It is also a fitting manifestation of gratitude for his contribution to the field of research and mentoring in the subjects he dedicated his life to.
The book consists of 39 contributions by distinguished local and foreign academics. The book is in English, but also includes some papers in Italian and French. It is divided into four sections: Section 1 – From Medieval to Baroque: archaeology, history, painting and architecture; Section 2 – Design and Decoration: fashion, manuscripts, precious metals and wood; Section 3 – Neo-Classicism, Romanticism, Revivalism, and the Modern; and Section 4 – Interpreting the arts, society and documentation. The book is therefore a rich and unique compendium of the latest research by foreost local and foreign academics.
The book has an introduction by President Emeritus Ugo Mifsud Bonnici, while authors include Vincenzo Abbate, Joan Abela, John Azzopardi, Michele Bacci, Francesca Balzan, Alain Blondy, Anthony Bonanno, Giovanni Bonello, Anne Brogini, Keith Buhagiar, Martina Caruana, Donal Cooper, Roberta Cruciata, Maria Concetta di Natale, Richard England, Mark-Anthony Falzon, Joe Friggieri, Anne Galea, John Gash, Carol Jaccarini, Helen Langdon, Anthony Luttrell, Roderick O’Donnell, Lawrence Pavia, Richard Reece, Mark Sagona, Dany Sandron, Giuseppe Schembri Bonaci, Keith Sciberras, Carmel Spiteri, Anne Swartz, Conrad Thake, Paula Varela Gomes, Peter Vassallo, Charlene Vella, Roger Vella Bonavita, Maurizio Vitella, Antoine Zammit and Theresa Zammit Lupi.
The book is a hardback edition that runs into 752 pages in full colour.