National Library in Valletta
Posts Tagged: knights of malta
26
May 09
Caravaggio A Great Master in Valletta
Despite his success in Naples, after only a few months in the city Caravaggio left for Malta, the headquarters of the Knights of Malta, presumably hoping that the patronage of Alof de Wignacourt, Grand Master of the Knights, could help him secure a pardon for Tomassoni’s death. De Wignacourt proved so impressed at having the famous artist as official painter to the Order that he inducted him as a knight, and the early biographer Bellori records that the artist was well pleased with his success. Major works from his Malta period include a huge Beheading of Saint John the Baptist (the only painting to which he put his signature) and a Portrait of Alof de Wignacourt and his Page, as well as portraits of other leading knights.
14
Sep 08
La Valette and his Order
Universally referred to as “La Valette,” he was never actually called that during his lifetime. He was simply Jean de Valette, nicknamed Parisot. He fought and successfully repulsed the Turks at the Great Siege of Malta (1565), in which the vastly outnumbered Christians held out for over 3 months against an Ottoman force containing no less than 30,000 soldiers, including the notorious Janissaries, as well as the Sultan’s prized fleet of some 40 warships. The desperate battle, which saw the reduction of Fort St. Elmo, was one of immense brutality, and is regarded as one the most famous and desperate sieges of all time. As a result of the Order’s victory he gained much prestige in Europe, but he declined the offer of a cardinal’s hat in order to maintain independence from the papacy. This has been portrayed to his sense of modesty and his humility as a warrior monk. However, it has often been overlooked that as a Grand Master of the Order, he automatically had the same precedence as the most junior Cardinal within the Church and enjoyed a Cardinal’s distinction without being involved in the internal politics of the Holy See. Even from its beginnings, the Grand Master of the Order owed allegiance only to the Pope, and to this day is recognised as the head of an Order which has diplomatic recognition with the United Nations and 100 other countries.
29
Jun 08
Caravaggio’s Masterpiece in Valletta – at St. John’s Co Cathedral
Commissioned by the Great Master of the Order of the Knights of Malta, Caravaggio’s Beheading of St John was made in 1608 for the chapel of the Co-Cathedral of St John in Valletta. It is the largest work the artist ever painted (12 feet x 17 feet) and the only one he ever signed.
The painting depicts the moment in Biblical history where St John is beheaded by King Herod to satisfy the blood lust of the seductive dancer, Salome. The scene is the courtyard of a prison and the grisly murder is observed by two other prisoners looking through a grille, while a young woman and an old crone stand ready to take the severed head and put it on the waiting platter. The blood flowing from St John’s neck drips towards the bottom of the frame and in its red stream, Caravaggio has signed his name.
On the oratory’s right wall hangs a smaller Caravaggio painting, St Jerome, which was stolen in 1984 and rescued in a dramatic operation a few months later. In it, an elderly man sits with a pen in his hand.
Caravaggio went to Malta to avoid the death penalty that had been inflicted on him after committing a murder in Rome and, with the bloodless body of Saint John, he seems to be portraying his victim’s and, at the same time, his own end. Many describe the painting as his masterwork.
20
Mar 08
Maltese Cross
The Maltese cross is today synonymous with Malta. Its origins go back to the 11th century when some merchants from Amalfi, who traded with Egypt, obtained from the Caliph permission to construct in Jerusalem a church, a residence for themselves and a convent for the monks of the Order of the Benedictines of Monte Cassino.
As many Christian pilgrims flocked to Jerusalem, a hospital was also built. It was then that they adopted the cross of Amalfi and the name of Hospitallers of St John of Jerusalem. By 1099, Gerard Tunc, a Frenchman, was master of the hospital and on his request Pope Pascal 11 recognised the community as a religious order in 1113.
Gerard Tunc became the first Grand Master of the Order and it is generally agreed that he introduced the white eight-pointed cross which was worn on the side of the heart on a black robe and a black cloak. According to the Rule, the Knights had to wear the cross on their robes in honour of God and the Holy Cross. It served as a reminder for them to follow the Rule, thus protecting themselves from the snares of the devil. The eight points of the cross symbolised the eight beatitudes and every new knight was reminded of these beatitudes during the ceremony of the profession of vows.
28
Sep 07
Caravaggio A Visionary And Great Artist
CARAVAGGIO400 aims at celebrating Caravaggio’s presence in Malta through a number of coordinated events and initiatives over 2007 and 2008. Caravaggio400 is an umbrella term under which organisations have been invited to organise Caravaggio related events.
Each institution will be responsible for its own particular event, but the entire programme will be presented as a National Programme. The programme includes, among others, the issue of commemorative silver ingot and a commemorative coin, lectures and seminars by various international experts on the theme of Caravaggio, restoration projects by Caravaggio Foundation and Heritage Malta, an exhibition of representations in salt of six Caravaggio paintings on the Passion and Resurrection of Christ, an exhibition on Caravaggio and Caravaggisti, and an issue of commemorative stamps.
The institutions involved in organising such initiatives include St John’s Foundation, Heritage Malta, University of Malta, Lombard Bank, Caravaggio Foundation, Ministry for Education, Maltapost, Malta Police, the Malta Council for Culture and the Arts and the Ministry for Tourism and Culture. The Valletta Local Council, Valleta Rehabilitation Project(VRP), the Italian Embassy and Sovereign Military Order of Malta (SMOM) are collaborating on various initiatives. Caravaggio400 in itself is therefore not an event but a series of events organised under the Caravaggio400 ‘brand’.
Caravaggio400 is responsible for coordinating the National Calender of events. The Calendar will publicise a programme of wide participation in a variety of fields, both at a scholarly and popular level.
The Calendar is being co-ordinated by the Ministry for Tourism and Culture, the Malta Council for Culture and the Arts and the Caravaggio Foundation who came up with this initiative together with the support of the University of Malta. It will seek to ensure a spread of activities over the two years and also to minimise overlap while maintaining good quality. CARAVAGGIO400 therefore, is a national event in itself, intended for both local cultural enrichment and cultural tourism.
A new website including the national programme of Caravaggio400 events has also been launched. Its address is: www.caravaggio400.com
Caption: Dr Keith Sciberras, Dr Tonio Fenech, Minister Francis Zammit Dimech, HE Paolo Andrea Trabalza, Italian Ambassador, and Davinia Galea during the press conference on the launch of Caravaggio400 held at the Ministry for Tourism and Culture.