Giuseppe Calì : an iconographical study of his works

Abstract

The artistic scene in Malta in the 19th Century, as regards to Sacred Art, was characterized by stagnation and complacency. The last accredited Maltese artist was Giuseppe Hyzler, a representative of neoclassicist, academic and Nazarener style, who died in 1858. It was only with the appearance of Calì, in 1870, that the artistic scene began to take a different turn and became revolutionized by Romanticism and Realism. This study is an iconographical evaluation of how Giuseppe Calì’s works in Sacred Art evolved along the years until he became a master, which is being referred to as ‘The Real Calì’ for the scope of this study. It will also include how his art transformed into what is referred to, in this evaluation, as ‘The Calì-Gagliardi Hybrid’. This analysis will be performed in the context of his personal life, his financial situation, the socio-economic environment in Malta and Italy, his academic background, his competitors, and his confinement in Malta.