Malta in c. 1480: Art, Architecture, and the Cultural World of the Kantilena - Prof. Charlene Vella
Schedule
Thu, 13 Feb, 2025 at 10:00 am
UTC+01:00Location
217, St Paul Street, Valletta, Malta | Valletta, MA
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📅 Date: Thursday, February 13th, 2025
🕙 Time: 10 am
📍 Location: Notarial Archives Foundation, 217, St Paul Street, Valletta, Malta
🗣 Language: English
🎟 Admission: Entrance is free but registration is required. Kindly send an email to [email protected] or message us on our page.
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📖 Abstract:
Malta in the fifteenth century stood at a cultural crossroads, reflecting a rich interplay of artistic, architectural, and linguistic influences that shaped its identity. This lecture delves into the island's vibrant art and architectural landscape, with a special focus on the period in which the Kantilena was penned, the earliest known literary text in the Maltese language, by Pietru Caxaro, a nobleman residing in Mdina.
The lecture will explore the palaces of the sophisticated noble families who resided in Mdina, or the Civitas, where Latin was predominantly used in administration and culture, juxtaposed with the vernacular architecture of structures like the Church of the Annunciation in Ħal Millieri, Żurrieq, consecrated in 1480, where the native Maltese language was spoken. Despite the prevalence of Latin among the nobility, Caxaro's choice to compose the Kantilena in Maltese underscores the complex linguistic dynamics of the period. It highlights the emerging significance of the vernacular language. This is similarly reflected in art and architecture.
The lecture will also examine the Mediterranean artistic interactions that influenced Malta's visual arts, including the impact of two Sicilian artistic workshops that introduced Renaissance ideals to the island at the same time. This talk aims to comprehensively understand Malta's cultural milieu in the mid to late fifteenth century, highlighting the island's role as a melting pot of Mediterranean and European influences.
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🎙 About the Speaker:
Charlene Vella is an Associate Professor in the Department of Art and Art History at the University of Malta, specializing in Medieval and Renaissance art, with a particular focus on Mediterranean artistic interactions during these periods. She earned her B.A. (Hons) and M.A. in History of Art from the University of Malta, achieving a Distinction for her master's degree with her tutor being Professor Mario Buhagiar. She completed her Ph.D. at the University of Warwick, supported by a full scholarship, under the supervision of Professor Donal Cooper.
Professor Vella has authored several publications, including "The Mediterranean Artistic Context of Late Medieval Malta 1091-1530"(Midsea Books, 2013) and "In the Footsteps of Antonello da Messina: The Antonelliani in Sicily and Venice in the Late Fifteenth and Early Sixteenth Centuries" (Midsea Books, 2022).
Her research interests encompass the works of Antonello da Messina and his followers, Eastern Sicilian and Venetian Renaissance art, gender issues in art, and the dynamics of Mediterranean artistic interactions during the Late Middle Ages and Renaissance. She also leads research projects involving diagnostic testing, conservation, and restoration of Late Medieval and Renaissance artworks.
In recognition of her contributions to art history, Professor Vella was awarded the Premio "Antonello da Messina" for the section Studi Antonelliani on 14 April 2023 by the Associazione Culturale Antonello da Messina.
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✨ We look forward to welcoming you to what promises to be an insightful lecture! Refreshments will be served after the lecture.
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🤝 This even is kindly supported by the Alfred Mizzi Foundation.
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Where is it happening?
217, St Paul Street, Valletta, MaltaEvent Location & Nearby Stays:
