Anton Agius, a veteran sculptor from Rabat who belonged to a generation of artists that has practically fizzled out, passed away late on Sunday night at the age of 74.

His memory will live on through his public commissions, his countless works of art, and through the artists and art lovers he inspired.

Mr Agius was well versed in a number of genres and media, such as bronze, concrete, stone, ceramics, lino-printing and wood.

He has sculpted many public monuments, such as the Workers' Memorial Monument in Msida, the Freedom Monument in Vittoriosa, the Dun Mikiel Xerri and Compatriots, Sette Giugno and the Manuel Dimech monuments, all in Valletta, as well as the bust of Mabel Strickland at the lobby of Strickland House in Valletta, to mention a few.

He started his artistic training under the guidance of his cousin, the sculptor Samuel Bugeja, and then proceeded to the Malta Government School of Art, from where he was awarded a four-year scholarship in Rome, where he studied at a number of art schools and academies.

He augmented his studies at the St Martin's College in London and was awarded the National Diploma in Design, Modelling, and sculpture.

Peter Paul Ciantar, a close friend of Mr Agius for 30 years, said he had bonded with the sculptor primarily through topics surrounding art and family, which he felt were intimately linked to one another.

He explained how Mr Agius had led a difficult life of suffering and spent years battling his illness; a pain he somehow translated into his sculptures, often dedicating entire days to particular pieces that he was eager to finish.

Mr Ciantar said that, despite his personal family turmoil, the sculptor was a sincere man who was always ready to give a helping hand to young students in search of artistic direction.

Gozitan artist John Grima, who has long admired the sculptor's work, recounted how on their first meeting Mr Agius had given him valuable comments, which had helped him progress in his artistic undertakings.

After this, Mr Agius had always supported the young artist and was one of the first to turn up at his exhibition openings.

Dennis Vella, curator of modern and contemporary art at the National Museum of Fine Arts, said there were a number of Mr Agius's works in the museum, among them a prize-winning work in fibreglass entitled Human Rights.

Moreover, he said Mr Agius was "one of the leading sculptors of the post-war period, who will be especially remembered for his olive wood carvings where the natural shapes and contours of an olive tree trunk would frequently inspire both the subject and the development of the sculpture".

Art critic Emmanuel V. Borg described Mr Agius as a prolific artist who produced enough works during his lifetime to fill an entire museum.

Mr Agius exhibited in Malta, Sweden, Switzerland, America, England, Italy, Ireland, Germany and Libya. The most recent exhibition he took part in was the annual show of Rotta ta' l-Arti, organised by the Nationalist Party to mark last month's anniversary of Malta's Independence.

The PN expressed its solidarity to the sculptor's family saying that his loss signified a void for Malta in terms of art and culture.

The Ministry of Education, Culture, Youth and Sport also expressed its solidarity and sadness for the demise of the sculptor, and said that the abstract beauty of some of his works even earned Mr Agius the enthusiastic praise of Victor Pasmore, among others.

Mr Agius received a number of important awards, among them in 2000 when he was made Knight of the Sovereign Order of St John of Jerusalem; and in 2005 a Member of the National Order of Merit.

Last year, the Malta Society of Arts Manufacture and Commerce awarded him the 2006 Gold Medal award, in recognition of his outstanding achievements and interest in the arts.

His funeral will be held this afternoon.