The paintings at the Msida parish church

Abstract

This study focuses on an art historical analysis of the major paintings that embellish the Msida parish church. To date no publication has brought together in one single study the collection of works and analysed them from an artistic academic background. Thus, the main aim of this dissertation is to examine the properties of these works from an aesthetic viewpoint and placing them in their relevant historical and artistic context. Due to the word limit constraints attached to this dissertation, certain works have been omitted as this would have necessitated a lengthier study. To arrive at a meaningful analysis of the paintings I reviewed various dissertations which tackled certain paintings in the past and also various publications including books, Msida feast programmes, exhibition reviews, newspapers as well as Msida church archives, Archiepiscopal and National Archives. Unfortunately, these archives which I thought would have been beneficial to my research proved to be disappointing and at times futile, most especially the Msida parish church archives where much valuable information is missing. This astounding limited availability of primary sources induced me to base my writings to just artistic style analysis. Nonetheless, I have acquired much appreciated valuable first hand information from persons who have dedicated some of their precious time so as to disclose to me first hand information regarding the works of art as well as about the particular artists themselves. To set a background for the analysis of the works of art, in the introductory chapter, I outlined the history of the parish church of Msida which before the newly built church used to be the Immaculate Conception church which was originally a cave-church, and why with the onset of the new building the name of the patron changed to that of St Joseph. The second chapter tackles the altar paintings which are dealt with in depth from an art historical point of view with special emphasis on the three main artists that have executed such altar paintings, namely Michele Cortegiani, Lazzaro Pisani and Giuseppe Calì. The ceiling decoration which includes the apses as well as the dome will be discussed in Chapter Three where artists involved were Anton Inglott, Emvin Cremona and Raymond Pitre’. This chapter is the fulcrum of this dissertation where there was a turning point in Maltese art with the most talented Anton Inglott who was one of the most significant figures in the history of the twentieth century Maltese painting. He injected the artistic scenario with a new verve – an artistic style that no one had ever dreamed of even coming close to. Unfortunately, his untimely demise halted and interrupted the works in the church. However his colleague Emvin Cremona, who was artistically and emotionally similar, endeavoured and succeeded in resuming the embellishment of the church’s walls and vault. The Msida church offered Cremona a key on a silver plate. It marked the beginning of a successful artistic career backed by several commissions. The final chapter includes works that are mainly in the sacristy which were artistically worth analysing, including an interesting painting executed by Stefano Erardi which belonged to Giuseppe Calì and was eventually donated to the Msida parish church in 1875 amongst others.