Gothic Revival influences on Europe’s border : change and resistance in Malta between decorative arts and architecture

Abstract

This paper discusses the extent of the influences of the Gothic Revival on Malta, placing them within the specific, nineteenth-century scenario of a significant British Colony with a committed Roman Catholic soul. It documents the precocious, albeit timid, appearance of Gothic Revival motifs in the third decade of the nineteenth century and traces them through gradual consolidation in the second half of the century in both the decorative arts and architecture, which was followed by a certain degree of acceptance and reception. This analysis also considers the more insular current where Gothic Revival motifs were applied in an eclectic manner, generally resulting from a resistance to a full acceptance of the style. More importantly, this paper discusses a small, but artistically significant corpus of ecclesiastical works imported from various centres in Europe, notably those from the immediate circle of the great instigator and visionary of the Revival in England, A.W.N. Pugin (1812-52). Several of these artefacts were commissioned to embellish the numerous churches that dotted the island. Some were intimately related to the liturgical functions held during the annual festivities in honour of the local patron saint, such as masses, vespers and processions. New research clearly establishes that, despite their miniscule size and peripheral location, the Maltese Islands were aware of the major design trends present on the continent. A combination of historical, religious and political forces facilitated the percolation of artistic currents from mainland Europe so that the Maltese Archipelago became an extension of the European and Mediterranean design ethos. In the field of the decorative arts Malta was thus transformed into a microcosm of the larger international context.