Earlier this summer, Spanish biologist and nature illustrator Luz Vega visited the Maltese Islands for the first time, and our island home seems to have left quite an impression – if these beautiful illustrations from her time here are anything to go by!

In a blog post by Vega on Urban Sketchers, she refers to the islands past, explaining that “the archipelago of Malta has been disputed by the most important powers of antiquity: Carthage, Rome, the Byzantine Empire, the Spanish or the British. All of them have left a sample of their past in these lands” – samples she captures beautifully in her work.

She also refers to the islands myriad myths and legends, and the places associated with them, including “the cave of Calypso, the nymph that lived with Ulysses on the island of Ogigia, which some studies have wanted to locate as the island of Gozo.”

“Its ancient medieval cities remind us of terrible battles and wars,” the illustrator continues, adding that along Malta’s streets, you can still see headquarters and palaces occupied by the ancient orders of the Knights of St John. “Even the palace of the Inquisition is preserved,” she marvels.

Finally, Vega also nods to Malta and Gozo’s religious fervour, which is especially evident with the “numerous figures of saints [that] seem to observe us from the corners of the houses”, and which also make their way into her illustrations!

What do you think of Luz Vega’s depictions of the Maltese Islands? Let us know in the comments below!