Art
Visits:
-National Museum of Fine Arts Malta -Belt Valletta - 20/10/2015
-Antoine Camilleri Exhibition - St. James Cavalier - 21/10/2015
As Malta became a British colony, many visitors on the Orient and the Tour of Europe started to sail into the Grand Harbour. Amongst these visitors were artists who during their stay in Malta started to include Maltese landscape in their artwork. The main style of Maltese landscape paintings communicated a sense of atmosphere, possibly an emotionally-charged one, as well as visual information on the natural feautres and man-made features, which predominantly included the cities that surrounded the Grand Harbour and the fortifications.
Grand Harbour by J.M.W Turner (1830). Watercolour.
In the National Museum of Fine Arts, one can find a collection of artworks on display from the last three centuries that feauture themes such as Maltese landscape. Perhaps, one of the most important landscape paintings is known as ‘Grand Harbour’, which was executed in 1830 by the English Romanticist landscape painter, J.M.W. Turner.
The painting depicts the view of the Grand Harbour from Point Ricasoli. On the foreground we can see some fishermen pulling in their daily catch, while the middleground is featuring some boats which probably belonged to the same fishermen. Last but not least in the background we can see some ships and the fortified city of Valletta.
The composition of this painting is an unbalanced, asymmetrical one. It is made of different forms, mostly organic, and it gives an illusion of depth by the overlapping of these forms and also the range of form sizes. The artist has used a wide palette of mostly cool, plain, subdued watercolours, creating moderate contrasts and emphasising certain parts throughout this piece.
It is a known fact that Turner has never visited Malta. He based this painting on the work of Gorge Philip Reinangle. Its function was to serve as an engraving basis in Finden’s Landscape Illustrations. The book included scenes of places visited by the foremost English Romantic Poet, Lord Byson.
Despite the lack of detail in certain parts of the artwork, Turner has managed to paint a very realistic scene that back in the day, one was able to see on a day to day basis.
Storm in the Grand Harbour. Oil on Canvas
Another painting found on display in the National Museum of Fine Arts, is the one above, titled ‘Storm in the Grand Harbour’ by Thomas Lyde Hornbrook (1780-1850). It is uncertain whether or not the painting was done in Malta or if it is based on another artwork.
The painting is depicting a fleet caught in a storm whilst making its way into the Grand Harbour. On the land we can see some local people, some of which seem to be aware of the danger by pointing at it, while others look calm and almost unaware of their surroundings. The big waves crashing against the land, the tilted ships and the pointing people all portray the element of movement.
The composition of the painting is mostly made up of organic forms, formed by a mixture of straight and curved lines. By a range of form sizes and the overlapping buildings, an illusion of depth is created. The colours used are cool and subdued, quite similar to the ones used in ‘Grand Harbour’ by Turner. The only extreme contrast in painting is seen on the guarding walls that was caused by light coming from the top left. At the expense of other things, the light is emphasising the storm, which is the main interest in this painting.
This painting makes me feel panicked and anxious, to find out if it ended in tragedy.
‘Portrait of Marthese’ was painted by Antoine Camilleri in 1967. Marthese, the little girl that is depicted in the painting, was the artists’ daughter.
The composition is rather simple. The two main forms featured are made up of a mixture of straight and curved lines.
The forms are organic (child and toy) and geometric (stool and frame). The artist used a limited palette of cool colours, mostly offering different hues/values of greens and blues. A light coming from the left is
creating a shadow at the bottom right corner of the painting. The shadow is of the girl and stool she is sitting on.
Portrait of Marthese.80x50cm. Oil on Board
Teresa is wearing a beautiful white gown patterned with crosses and in her hands she is holding a bouquet of white flowers close to her chest.
Being the main interest, the bride is taking up most of the space in the portrait, while the rest of the background is depicting other scenes from the ceremony, surrounded by family and close friends.
The organisation of the painting is symmetrical and balanced. The colours are plain and low-key and there are no extreme contrasts.
This painting is capturing and freezing a memory in time. It also creates a sense of unity and leaves the viewer with a happy feeling. Bridal Moments(1954).76.5x62.5cm. Oil on cardboard
This painting by Antoine Camilleri is a representation of Balluta Bay on a nice, sunny day. In the painting we can see the calm waters, on which many colourful boats are floating. In the background we can see a church and a few other buildings.
The painting is made up of many obscured lines which form the boats and the buildings. The artist used a wide palette of warm, subdued colours. The yellow of the buildings is most eye-catching and even though blue is a cool colour, when looking at this painting I still get a warm, calm feeling.
The light coming from the top is reflecting the boats and buildings on the water. The degree of depth is low in this painting and main interest is evenly distributed throughout the picture.
Balluta Bay by Antoine Camilleri (1947). Oil on hardboard. 49.5 by 65cm
Credits:
-Information boards in the Fine arts Museum
-http://www.antoinecamilleri.com/senior/
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