The artistic context for Salvatore Dimech’s Annunciation of the Virgin at Ħal Balzan parish church : a critical and analytical study

Abstract

When the processional titular statue of the Annunciation of the Virgin, carved in wood by the Maltese sculptor Salvatore Dimech (1804–1886), was delivered to the parish church of Ħal Balzan, the nineteenth century had already run more than half its course. The new titular statue had arrived at its destination on Sunday 28th March 1869, through a procession accompanied by a musical band that had wound its way from the Augustinian church at Rabat down to Ħal Balzan. The unknown chronicler, who wrote a rather lengthy article in the Corriere Mercantile Maltese, narrates how on that important date for the inhabitants of Ħal Balzan, accadeva la traslazione della maestosa effigie a due statue del gran mistero dell’Annunziazione, and how this traslazione had occurred through una processione di popolo a religioso e placido, ma giubilante contegno, precorreva e susseguiva le statue portate a suono di una banda musicale. The contract for the commission dates to the 3rd February 1867, published in the acts of Notary Annunziato Frendo Micallef. [Excerpt]