Charles Allingham (c. 1778 – 1850) : the socio-artistic context for his work in Malta

Abstract

Very little was known about Charles Allingham when this research commenced. The aim was to discover as much information as possible about his life and works and in particular his sojourn in Malta. Charles Allingham came to Malta from England in the first decades of the nineteenth century. It was known that he was in Malta by 1819, and that he had executed a number of portraits and a few other genres whilst on the island. Other than that, very few works had been identified, and even less written about this artist. Accordingly, the attempt to research Allingham, how he came to Malta, from where, his patrons, the works he executed or which were commissioned, presented an interesting challenge. Indeed, it proved to be not only interesting, but also an exciting and intriguing journey. At times the information that was discovered, albeit trivial and infrequent, was elating, yet most times it was a frustrating trip, with leads ending in dead ends. The research had to start from the time of his youth in England, and his artistic development there. Whilst it was presumed that he had some formal artistic training, this was not corroborated by documentary evidence. It was therefore essential that one attempted to trace his artistic footsteps prior to his arrival in Malta and the influences that he may have been exposed to before landing on the island. Why he chose to come to Malta was also a mystery. Whether this was due to the fact that Britain had then just taken over the island and a number of British visitors were settling in Malta, or due to some other reason, needed to be established. Likewise, his acquaintances prior to settling in Malta and then once he was on the island, were crucial in trying to understand his background and connections which may have led to the commissions of his works. Another element in the research plan was to establish whether he had left any artistic legacy and influences on artists practicing during his time in Malta. The absence of information as to whether he had a workshop and assistants, or whether he was a lone studio operator was intriguing and this too needed to be clarified.