Art in Malta during the plague of 1813

Abstract

The aim of my research is to collect the art produced during the plague of 1813/4 in Malta. Thus, the main focus of my studies revolved around the ex-voto paintings found in the sanctuaries and the sculptural representations of Saint Roch found in the Maltese towns and villages, with the exception of the highly significant painting depicting the plague of 1813, by Pietro Paolo Caruana. In the first Chapter I started by giving a general history of the plague in general throughout Europe, followed by an account of the 1813 outburst in Malta. This was done in order to introduce the context of the artworks discussed within this study, as a background. This is always essential to consider as art is a reflection of the social context at the time. In the second Chapter I discuss the painting of Pietro Paolo Caruana followed by the relevance of an ex-voto and its meaning. The subchapter on the ex-voto is to set off the study given for the ex-voto paintings I came across related to the plague. Unfortunately it was hard to encounter a numerous collection of such works, probably due to the outcome of the frequent cleansing rites. This could be the case for such a lack in the production of art when it comes to paintings. The final chapter is dedicated to the cult of Saint Roch in Malta and its flourishing throughout the island in the form of sculpture. Here I discuss the vernacular works which are found all over Malta with special attention to the ones attributed to Mariano Gerada and Vincenzo Dimech.