A journey through art! Touring exhibition celebrating Giuseppe Calì lands in Valletta this May
A new touring exhibition is shining a spotlight on one of Malta’s greatest artistic icons, Giuseppe Calì, as part of ‘Your MUŻA’, an outreach initiative by MUŻA that brings works from the national collection closer to local communities.
Opening on Thursday 22nd May and running until Wednesday 4th June at the Basilica of Our Lady of Porto Salvo and St Dominic in Valletta, this is the second event in the ‘Your MUŻA’ series, designed to enhance accessibility to Malta’s national art heritage by temporarily loaning key pieces to localities connected to the artists or artworks. And few artists are as deeply embedded in Malta’s cultural identity as Giuseppe Calì.
Born in Valletta in 1846 to Neapolitan parents who fled political unrest in Naples, Calì’s passion for painting emerged early. In 1865, he pursued formal training at the prestigious Accademia di Belle Arti in Naples. Returning to Malta, Calì first made waves as a talented theatre scenographer, following in the footsteps of his father, Raffaele. His flair for the dramatic soon translated into broader artistic commissions, leading to striking portraits and stunning ecclesiastical works that grace churches across Malta and Gozo to this day.
The Valletta basilica, where Calì was baptised, is the perfect opening venue. It’s home to several of the artist’s finest works, including a majestic altarpiece of St Dominic, three scallop paintings (The Coronation of Our Lady, St Dominic in Glory, and David and St Cecilia), and painted domes adorning four chapels.
The exhibition will bring to the public ‘The Death of Dragut’, on loan from MUŻA, sketches, bozzetti, and personal documents, baptismal and death records of Calì, as well as works by contemporaries that situate his legacy in context. A detailed printed catalogue is available onsite, enhancing your visit with background stories, imagery, and curatorial insights.
After its Valletta debut, the exhibition will continue to Mosta at the Sanctuary Basilica of the Assumption of Our Lady between 12th and 25th June. It will travel to Lija and Sliema later in the year, but dates have yet to be announced for these parts of the tour.
The Basilica in Valletta is open daily from 10:00 to 19:00 – entry is free and accessible via the main doorway on Merchants Street.
Are you familiar with the works of the esteemed Maltese painter?