The art-historical scholarship of the decorative arts in Malta : an analysis

Abstract

The academic analysis of the immensely fertile field of the decorative arts in the Maltese Islands has in recent years been drawn into the orbit of art-historical studies spearheaded by the Department of Art and Art History at the University of Malta, under the direction of the undersigned. The decorative arts in the Maltese Islands have played an immense role in the shaping of the rich artistic character of the Maltese Islands throughout the ages, but until a few years back they had remained beyond the grasp of academic scholarship. For many years the state of academic research had indicated that the History of Art of the Maltese Islands was the exclusive domain of painting, sculpture and architecture. It is however amply evident that the three traditional fields of art-making were equally joined by the decorative arts. [Excerpt]