Talk and Dinner in honour of 20th century artist Edward Caruana Dingli at The Phoenicia Hotel
Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar (FAA) invites the public to an evening honouring Malta’s most renowned early 20th century artist, Edward Caruana Dingli. The event will be held on Thursday November 23, at the opulent Phoenicia Hotel in Floriana.
Edward Caruana Dingli
Although Edward Caruana Dingli (1876–1950) is most recognized for his portrait paintings of notable Maltese individuals from the 20th century, including politicians and clerics, his oeuvre features a more expansive portrayal of an older rural Malta.
Edward Caruana Dingli’s paintings never cease to enthral locals because they narrate tales of a bygone era in which Malta itself served as a canvas for the painting of history. They act as windows, giving us a look into the people, the landscapes, and the essence of the Malta of the past. Between his use of striking hues, painstaking details, and play of light, onlookers are enticed to examine the history behind each brushstroke.
But just how rooted in reality are they? The FAA asks. Did he try to portray things honestly, or could he have romanticised the circumstances in Malta during his time? This event will take guests back in time, as Malta’s cities and countryside in the late 19th and early 20th centuries are explored. As they attempt to comprehend the complex dance between the artist’s vision and the reality of Malta in the past, the layers will be peeled back, and the historical background of his paintings will be uncovered.
Event Programme
Author, poet, and art historian Marquis Nicholas de Piro will open the occasion at 6.30 pm, after which Dr Natalino Fenech, a senior lecturer at the Institute of Creative Arts at MCAST, will give the talk. Fenech will discuss Edward Caruana Dingli’s artwork and draw comparisons between it and the socioeconomic circumstances that prevailed in Malta during his lifetime.
Furthermore, non-Maltese speakers need not fear as the talk will be given in English, making the discussion accessible to art and history enthusiasts of all backgrounds. After the approximately hour-long talk, there will be a book sale with well-known BDL Books titles. What’s more, the Phoenicia has arranged for dinner at the hotel’s Phoenix Restaurant to round off the evening. A complete menu can be found here.
