The Maritime Collection of paintings at Palazzo Falson in the context of early 20th century collectionism

Abstract

Olof Frederick Gollcher (1889-1962) obtained a collection of over thirty maritime works of art, which, in comparison to the rest of his art collection, shows a significant bias. The point of this dissertation is to discuss the Maritime Collection of Paintings at Palazzo Falson and its relevance as a stand-alone collection, both within the museum and in comparison to others. Olof Gollcher as a collector with a multitude of interests will be studied, with a special emphasis on his apparent preference towards the maritime, and what may have inspired him to have this bias. A brief biography on Gollcher will be included. An attempt will be made to ascertain where he may have obtained his collection, or to propose likely hypotheses on this situation given the lack of known provenance. Through the use of old photographs, a study of interiors will be carried out, with regards to the placement of works of art in homes and old buildings, especially in relation to those of a maritime nature. I faced several difficult moments during the writing of this thesis, and was not always sure whether I would succeed. However, with the constant support of my tutor, Francesca Balzan, I was encouraged to carry on and keep writing, as Palazzo Falson and this subject specifically are very close to my heart. I would therefore like to thank her, as well as Professor Keith Sciberras who served as my co-tutor, for their unwavering support and understanding. The staff of the Notarial Archives in Valletta certainly cannot be left out, as during my visits there they did their utmost to help where they could. Here I would particularly like to thank Isabelle Camilleri for her help when it came to the finding of an important document at the archives, as well as the Marquis Nicholas de Piro who so kindly helped me with any queries I had about his own collection at Casa Rocca Piccola. I would also like to thank David Dandria, whose research on the area of naval engagements proved to be of invaluable worth during my writing.