Treasures of Malta, No. 84, Christmas 2025, Vol. XXXII, No. 1.
Published by Fondazzjoni Patrimonju Malti
The Christmas issue of Treasures of Malta once again regales us with its inviting fare; fare that will long outlast the turkey, the pudding and the mince pies. Rather than contribute to our indigestion and cholesterol, its effects are most salutary and should lead to a greater awareness of our unique cultural heritage.
The cover of the present issue features a detail of Bartolomeo Genga’s 1558 map of Malta showing a much larger proposed Valletta that would have extended beyond present-day Floriana. It is one of the exceptional collection of 450 antique maps of Malta which Albert Ganado passed to the government and can today be consulted at MUŻA.
The sad loss of Ganado last year at the venerable age of 101 meant the loss of an outstanding Maltese scholar. Joseph Schirò, a personal friend, recalls the achievement of an expert who enjoyed a worldwide reputation as the major expert of cartography. Ganado was also exceptional in the assistance he would gladly tender to other scholars.
St Publius church was extensively damaged in April 1942.Michael Cooperson, professor of Arabic at the University of Malta, analyses the colophon of a 17th-century codex of a manuscript copy of the Koran written in Malta and which is today housed in the University of Pennsylvania. Written by a slave, or someone who was being held on the island against his will, the author’s sign-off on the last page of the manuscript contains just two references to the island, both asking God to destroy it.
In the first of a two-part contribution on the steeple and domes of Floriana’s major churches, Kenneth Cauchi begins with the imposing parish church of St Publius. Built during Vilhena’s magistracy, it was designed by Romano Carapechia and eventually finished in 1768. The author gives a most detailed account of this original dome which was unfortunately overwhelmed when the façade was rebuilt in the 1870s in the classical manner with two imposing belfries.
The dome was effectively destroyed by enemy action in April 1942 and was rebuilt more or less similar to the old one. Financial constraints thwarted the idea of building a larger dome that would not be obstructed by Zammit’s steeples.
The restored painting of St Anthony of Padua.An oil-on-panel painting of St Anthony of Padua which had been brought over from Rhodes by the knights presently lies at the church of Our Lady of Victory, a companion picture to another depicting St Anthony the Abbot. In 1998, the two paintings were returned to the church from the reserve collection of the Museum of Fine Arts.
Lydia Pavia Dimech and Amy Sciberras provide an interesting account of the recent conservation and restoration process of the painting which had undergone serous deterioration. The careful work carried out by Sciberras has brought to light “a refined work of early 16th-century religious art”. Its companion picture now waits the same treatment.
Victor Aquilina, a former editor of the Times of Malta, recalls the legacy of Mabel Strickland (1899–1988)
Photographic artist and historian Kevin Casha writes about Carmelo Felice (1899–1978), one of the many photographers who plied their craft in the towns and villages, mostly catering for local needs. He started by running his business from his home at Paola; he eventually moved house and studio to Ħamrun where he became one of the town’s most sought-after photographers.
Felice was the Services’ official photographer during the war and was also used to record the large-scale destruction of buildings that took place then. In addition to his bread-and-butter activities, Felice also took hundreds of pictures of Maltese scenes and activities. This corpus was generously donated to the National Archives, although Felice had unfortunately disposed of a number of negatives and glass plates on his retirement.
Mabel Strickland and Times of Malta staff wearing gas masks in wartime.Victor Aquilina, a former editor of the Times of Malta, recalls the legacy of Mabel Strickland (1899–1988). Daughter of a former prime minister, her forays in politics did not leave much a wake. Instead, it’s her journalistic activities, particularly the founding of the Times of Malta, that made her a veritable legend. The newspaper has never missed a single issue since its launching despite her press being bombed twice by foreign barbarians during the war and gutted by home-bred ones in recent times.
Beryl A. Chapple (1940–2008) was one of the handful of British artists who in 1960s spent several years in Malta. Theresa Vella recalls Chapple’s presence and activities particularly during her first stay of seven years.
In spite of having held two exhibitions in Malta, this Academy-trained artist has tended to be overlooked in official publications. Her works include landscapes and still lifes, but she was also an excellent portraitist both of people and animals. Chapple visited the island several times afterwards.
Jules Verne visited Malta on his yacht several times which led him to describe the Grand Harbour as “the finest in the world surpassing anything one can imagine”. During these visits, he must have struck a relationship with the Grech family who ran a successful shipchandling, often entertaining members of the family aboard his yacht.
One letter he wrote to the firm on June 22, 1884, is now in proud possession of Albert S. Grech, a descendant of the family, and is most understandably his favourite object.
Cremona’s design for one of the 1970 Christmas stamp set with its prominent star.For 22 years, Emvin Cremona was commissioned by the Department of Posts to design its stamps. This happy partnership resulted in Malta’s most beautiful stamps which earned worldwide recognition. In all, he produced 62 sets with over 170 original designs.
In a richly illustrated paper, Lara Bugeja writes about Cremona’s designs of Christmas stamps and the star which appears in various forms and which runs like a leitmotif in most of them. Gibbons Stamp Monthly had lauded Cremona’s stamp designs as “distinctively flamboyant, imaginatively conceived and beautifully executed”.
Collectors and students will also find extremely useful the select index to illustrations of the previous volume as well as the index to the same.