Fine Arts Auction 2009 Catalogue - Malta Community Chest Fund

It is difficult to define art but it is not so difficult 

to recognize it when one sees it. Art is taking any task and 

doing it in such a way that beauty, grace, skill, expression 

and passion become embedded in it. I think that these 

attributes fit very well the works of art which are listed in 

this catalogue and are offered for sale by auction. 

Here we have a collection of works of art which 

are not only intrinsically beautiful but will also be put to 

a very beautiful purpose. For what is more beautiful and 

worthwhile than charity? 

Imagine a world without art. Art is so very much 

part of human life that, at times, we fail to notice it. Life 

without art would be dull and less human and inspiring. 

And imagine life without charity. Charity is the outward 

expression of human compassion and love and concern for 

one’s neighbour. It elevates the human from all other forms 

of life. Charity is the practice of benevolent giving and the 

highest form of human sentiment. 

The artists, who created these works of art, and the 

donors have generously given what they must value very 

much for a noble purpose – contributing to the L-Istrina 

2009 effort in aid of the Malta Community Chest Fund. 

The Fund, since its establishment, has striven to alleviate 

the hardships of those who may be in dire straits owing to 

the vicissitudes of life. It helps philanthropic institutions, 

communities, families and individuals with different needs. 

The Fund does not receive financing from official sources. 

However, throughout the year, various activities such 

as balls and concerts are organised by the Fund and also 

by the Office of The President to raise funds. The Malta 

Community Chest Fund also relies on corporate generosity 

and the general public for the collection of money. 

While my wife and I thank all the generous donors 

and those who worked hard for this event to be realised, 

I urge all those who wish to combine a love of art with 

charity to be generous and to acquire these valuable works 

of art. 

George Abela 

President of Malta 

1

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The Fine Arts Auction consists of works donated by 

leading contemporary Maltese artists and by foreign artists 

who have Maltese connections. In order to raise further 

funds for the charitable organisation, other works of art and 

pieces, some of which are a part of Malta’s rich heritage, 

have been included in the auction. In most cases paintings 

are framed except where none is required for display. 

Fine Arts Auction Committee 2009 

Dr Pascal A. Demajo – Chairman 

Mr Ian Azzopardi 

Mrs Stephanie Calascione 

Mr Richard Dimech 

Ms Christine Mercieca 

Mrs Karen Miller 

Major Raymond Miller 

Mr Italo Raniolo 

Mrs Doris Zahra 

The Malta Community Chest Fund 

The Palace 

Valletta 

www.maltacommunitychestfund.org

Harry Alden: Still Life 

Oil on canvas, 41 cm x 54 cm 

Estimate: € 900 - 1100 

Harry Alden studied art at the Government School 

of Art in Valletta, Malta and was awarded a four-year 

scholarship to attend Croydon College of Art in England 

where he was awarded the Intermediate Certificate in Arts 

and Crafts followed by the National Diploma in Design as 

presented by the Department of Education and Science in 

the United Kingdom. Here he also studied Textile Design 

and Painting, Lino Printing and Etching. 

In Malta he held personal exhibitions, introducing 

to the Island the technique of the “Hard Edge” and 

“Simplification” in painting. He designed “Postage 

Stamps”, Posters and Book/Magazine Covers, and painted 

four large paintings for the Balluta Bay Church and Murals 

for prominent institutions in Malta. He took part in many 

collective exhibitions in Malta and also in London, New 

York, Paris, Italy, Germany, former Czechoslovakia and 

Algiers. 

Harry Alden 

21410803 

3

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George Apap: Il-Buskett tal-Ħarifa 

Watercolour, 69 cm x 45 cm 

Estimate: € 450 - 600 

George Apap mainly works with watercolours and 

acrylics. His favourite subject is the Maltese landscapes 

often caught in the hot summer sun, picturing rocks and the 

restless seas. 

He taught art for the last forty years, is now retired 

and spends most of his time walking along country lanes 

capturing our lovely countryside. 

George Apap has had four personal exhibitions 

during the last seven years and is currently working on two 

other projects for the near future. 

George Apap 

79900230 

info@georgeapap.com

Isabelle Borg: Dingli Cliffs towards Ras 

id-Dawwara 

Oil on canvas, 71 cm x 71 cm 

Estimate: € 800 - 1000 

Isabelle Borg has lived in London, where she 

was born, and in Malta, and has spent periods in Berlin, 

and West Cork in Ireland. She studied painting at the 

Camberwell School of Art in London, and now teaches it 

at the University of Malta. She exhibits her work in Malta 

and internationally, and publishes her research in History 

of Art. 

Group exhibitions, where she has represented 

Malta abroad, include Ode aan de Hofvijver, the Hague, 

Holland, 2004, and Paysages, Embassy of Malta, Paris, 

France, 2008. Her last solo exhibition Strange Cargo was 

at the Museum of Fine Arts, (Heritage Malta) Valletta, 

December 2008. 

Isabelle Borg 

79245067 

isabelle@isabelleborg.com 

5

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John Martin Borg: ‘Saharett’ Back at the Yard 

Watercolour, 55.9 cm x 36.7 cm 

Estimate: € 900 - 1000 

John Martin Borg has been exhibiting since 

1979. Throughout the years his themes changed from 

marine scenes and landscapes to the subtle evanescent 

atmospheric moods enshrouding his subject. Over time his 

paintings developed into experiences of light and mood. 

He is an eclectic artist and his works also include religious 

and abstract art. The artist’s spiritual perspective is amply 

evident in his last personal exhibition entitled “Reflections 

on Pauline Theology”, held at the Museum of Archaeology 

during March and April of this year. His watercolours are 

found in prominent places such as the Presidential Palace 

Malta, the Commonwealth Centre in London, the World 

Health Organization Centre in Geneva and The Royal 

Collection in London. 

John Martin Borg 

79441043 

johnmartinborg@gmail.com

Celia Borg Cardona: Banded Together 

Oil on Canvas, 60 cm x 60 cm 

Estimate: € 700 - 900 

Celia Borg Cardona was born in Oxford in 1957. 

She studied at the Malta School of Art and then spent 

several years attending the studio of Anton Calleja. 

Her preferred medium is oil but she has also frequently 

worked in acrylics, pastels and a variety of three 

dimensional media. 

Celia has held four solo exhibitions. Her most 

recent exhibition last November focused on people as 

they interact in social gatherings. She has also taken part 

in many collective exhibitions both locally and abroad, 

and Celia’s paintings can be found in many private and 

corporate collections in Malta and overseas. 

Celia Borg Cardona 

99428591 

celia@celiaborgcardona.com 

www.celiaborgcardona.com 

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John Borg Manduca: Malta Scape 

Oils in Palette knife, 40 cm x 60 cm 

Estimate: € 500 - 700 

John Borg Manduca was born in Malta in 1934. 

He was educated at St Edward’s College and the Royal 

Military Academy, Sandhurst, UK. At the age of 14 he won 

a prize in the Gainsborough CommonwealthArt Exhibition. 

In the early sixties, he developed a heavy texture and 

relief style – soon dropped in favour of Palette Knife Oil 

Painting. He held exhibitions in Malta and abroad. From 

1975 to 1978, he collaborated with Scottish Concrete Poet/ 

Artist Ian Hamilton Finlay on a series of cards, booklets 

and prints of tanks, aircraft carriers and submarines in 

Palette Knife drawings in ink. In 2004 he was awarded first 

prize in the marine section, Salon De La Rochelle, France. 

His works are displayed in the National Museum of Fine 

Arts, Malta, the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, 

Edinburgh, Scotland, in private collections in Europe, USA 

and Canada, and in hotels and banks in Malta 

John Borg Manduca 

99021865

Ruth E. Bacmeister: Nets at Marsaxlokk 

Acrylic, 11.5 cm x 16.5 cm 

Estimate: € 300 - 400 

Ruth E. Bacmeister was born in England in 

1934. She was trained at Canterbury College of Art and 

Reading University. She taught in schools in England and 

in the West Indies and has retired from being head of the 

art department at the Royal Naval School, Haslemere. She 

is a tutor for the Creative Arts Retreat Movement, which 

organises painting and prayer retreats in Great Britain, 

France, Italy and Spain. Ruth has been visiting Malta in 

spring for several years, particularly enjoying the colour 

and light. 

Ruth Bacmeister works mainly in acrylics and 

also in pastels and etchings. Her paintings are in collections 

in the United States, England, Switzerland, Germany and 

Malta. 

Donated by Peter & Alaine Apap Bologna 

99255223 

bologna@onvol.net 

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Anthony Calleja: Boats 

Acrylic, 60 cm x 60 cm 

Estimate: € 400 - 600 

Anthony Calleja, born in 1955, has been involved inArt 

from an early age. He is a self-taught painter and by the late ‘70s, 

had his first one-man show at the Museum of FineArts in Valletta. 

AnthonyhasparticipatedinvariouscollectiveandsoloExhibitions, 

in Germany, Greece, Denmark, Austria, the UK, France, and 

Belgium. 

His works can be admired at the Bank of Valletta 

Head Quarters in Santa Venera, at the Malta Financial Services 

Authority in Imriehel, at offices, hotels and within numerous 

private collections. He launched his first book during an exhibition 

held at St. Dominic’s Priory in Rabat in 1996. In 2002 he earned 

a BA degree with Distinction in Design from Falkirk College in 

Scotland, and was voted best student of his course. In 2006 he 

was commissioned to paint the altarpiece for St.Martin’s Church 

in Bahrija. Anthony Calleja has also had a long career in teaching. 

Today, Anthony lectures at the Institute for Community Services 

within MCAST and holds classes (painting from live models) for 

mature students privately. 

Anthony Calleja 

99440529 

antcalleja@onvol.net

Jeni Caruana: Hallelujah 

Mixed media, 37 cm x 52 cm 

Estimate: € 350 - 450 

Jeni Caruana learnt her drawing skills at an early 

age, emerging from Harrow College of Art in 1973 with a 

formidable gift for translating the world around her into 

line. 

Settling in Malta in 1978, she has continued 

to develop this talent, becoming one of the foremost 

exponents of watercolours on the Island. Her subjects 

have always been many and varied, and over the years her 

techniques have grown to encompass acrylics and mixed 

media, including three-dimensional works. Her emphasis 

on good solid drawing skills runs through all of her work, 

and is passed on to her students. Jeni tutors private classes 

and painting holidays in Malta. 

Jeni Caruana 

99458286 

jentambia@waldonet.net.mt 

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Jeni Caruana: Vibes 

Acrylic on paper, 52 cm x 75 cm 

Estimate: € 400 - 500 

Artist’s biography on previous page 

Jeni Caruana 

99458286 

jentambia@waldonet.net.mt

Josette Caruana: Beyond Parameters 


Estimate: € 150 - 250 

Born in 1959, Josette Caruana studied art at the 

Malta College of Arts, Science and Technology and later 

followed a four year scholarship at the Accademia di Belle 

Arti in Perugia Italy, from where she graduated with a 

Diploma in 1998. In 1991 she followed a special course 

in Art for Professional Practising Artists at Cooper Union 

NYC. Josette has participated in various solo and collective 

exhibitions both in Malta and abroad namely: Italy, Algiers, 

United States of America, Germany, the United Kingdom, 

Belgium, Austria, Sweden and Gibraltar. Her work is to 

be found in various private collections both locally and 

abroad. A glass sculpture was acquired by the Maltese State 

Museum of Contemporary Art in 1992. Josette Caruana’s 

philosophy on art is: “Making Art represents a magical 

birth in which the Spirit of Beauty completes the vitality of 

Nature.” 

Josette Caruana 

21220577 

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Debbie Caruana Dingli: Mc Grump 


Estimate: € 800 - 1000 

Mainly a portrait painter, Debbie Caruana Dingli 

has been exhibiting regularly since 1985. Her favourite 

media are watercolours and oils. Her subjects are mainly 

people, both in realistic and cartoon form. 

Debbie lives in Siggiewi with her three sons, 

three dogs and three cats 

Debbie Caruana Dingli 

99808470 

debbiecd333@gmail.com 

www.debbiecaruanadingli.com

Debbie Caruana Dingli: Preparing for the Big Day 

Watercolour, 20.5 cm x 15 cm 

Estimate: € 300 - 400 


Debbie Caruana Dingli 

99808470 

debbiecd333@gmail.com 

www.debbiecaruanadingli.com 

15

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Catherine Cavallo: Silla 


Estimate: € 700 - 900 

Catherine Cavallo was born in Malta in 1963. At 

age 18, she read for a Fine Arts and Oil Painting course in 

London graduating four years later with a 1st Class Hons. 

Diploma. Her early paintings were influenced by and reflect 

the sombre moods and colours of London. 

She returned to Malta after eight years, seeking 

her natural environment, and turned towards the sea and the 

typical Maltese countryside for inspiration. 

Catherine also works on portraits on commission. 

Amongst her other commissions, she can boast of postage 

stamps for the Europa set entitled “Famous Women”, 

namely Mabel Strickland and Inez Soler. Others include 

wine labels for the Delicata and Marsovin Wineries. 

Catherine Cavallo 

79048638

Zoe Chomarat: Looking for Victory 


Estimate: € 1400 - 1600 

Zoe Chomarat is a French national. She has 

participated in various exhibitions in France and won first 

prize in an exhibition in Hyeres. When Zoe discovered 

Malta, she fell in love with the island and its history, and 

sought to express her love for the island in her work. As 

a great lover of dogs, Zoe helps them through her art. She 

held exhibitions at the Old University, Heritage Malta and 

Caraffa Stores, Vittoriosa, both on behalf of the Association 

of Abandoned Animals in Malta. 

Zoe Chomarat 

99439326 

zoechomarat@onvol.net 

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Patrick Dalli: Seated Nude 

Charcoal Watercolour, 54 cm x 74 cm 

Estimate: € 800 - 1100 

Born in Malta in 1955, from his teenage years 

to 1995 Dalli worked primarily through self training. 

In 1995, he starts formal training under the tutorship of 

Anton Calleja (b. 1955), exercising mainly in the study of 

the human figure. It is in these very active years that Dalli 

concentrates his practice on the nude. In the following year 

Dalli practices intensely in life-session. He participates 

in collective exhibitions in Malta and abroad, exhibiting 

nudes, landscapes, and still-life paintings. In 2002, he 

organised his first personal exhibition The Human Figure, 

at Gallerija Libertà, Valletta and continued to exhibit his 

works. In 2008 he held an exhibition, Patrick Dalli – Nudes 

at St. James Cavalier. 

Patrick Dalli 

99492779 

p_dalli@maltanet.net

Mary de Piro: Amazing Grace 

Acrylic Mixed, 40 cm x 51 cm 

Estimate: € 900 - 1200 

Mary de Piro was born in Valletta on 28 October 

1946. She studied at the Accademia delle Belle Arti 

in Florence. She has participated in various collective 

exhibitions around the world, and has had one person shows 

in Malta, England, and America. She married Simon Bailey 

in 1974 and has two sons, Sebastian and Paul Jerome. She 

lives in London but also has a home in Malta. Her paintings 

are in various private and public collections in Malta and 

abroad. 

Mary de Piro 

21363340 

mandslond@aol.com 

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Philip Farrugia Randon: Farmhouses at 

Ta’ Luretu, Gudja 


Estimate: € 600 - 800 

Doctor of Laws and author of circa twenty books 

on law, art and children’s stories. A keen watercolourist, he 

has exhibited his works in various countries. He has studied 

the restoration of oil paintings on canvas in Florence. With 

many years of experience on television and radio, he 

was for some time Chairman of the Public Broadcasting 

Services in Malta. He is a director of HSBC Bank Malta 

p.l.c. In 2005 he was appointed Member of the Order of 

Merit by the President of Malta. Dr Farrugia Randon is a 

Knight of Magistral Grace of the Sovereign Military Order 

of Malta (SMOM) and is now President of the Maltese 

Association of the same Order. 

Philip Farrugia Randon 

21385133 

pip@onvol.net

Madeleine Gera: The Palace Courtyard, 

Early Morning 


Estimate: € 1100 - 1300 

Studied painting and drawing with Joseph Briffa 

(R.A.), Madeleine has a B.A. in Philosophy from the Faculty 

of Theology and was awarded a long-term scholarship to 

study etching techniques at the Scuola Internazionale di 

Arte Grafica, il Bisonte, in Florence Italy. She has taken 

part in several collective and personal exhibitions in Malta 

and overseas. Since 2002 she has been spending her time 

travelling between Florence, Italy, and Malta, studying 

portrait painting. 

Madeleine Gera 

99424982 

madeleinegera@onvol.net 

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Anna Grima: The Wedding Veil 


Estimate: € 1400 - 1600 

Anna Grima is an inter-disciplinary artist whose 

work has been exhibited both in Malta and abroad. She 

currently lives and works in Malta. Since 1995, her works 

show a great interest in the spiritual and metaphysical 

aspects of nature. Her paintings, drawings and sculptural 

works are the outcome of her contact with different cultural 

traditions during her travels in Europe and the Far East. 

Anna has found a path to reconcile the physical and the 

spiritual, with works that are both moving and dynamic. 

Anna Grima 

99205599 

anna@annagrima.com

Pierre Giusti: Blue Night 

Acrylic and sand on deep edge canvas, 

60 cm x 30 cm 

Estimate: € 500 - 600 

Born in 1969, Pierre Giusti is a self-taught 

Maltese artist whose work is mainly executed in acrylic 

on canvas. Having held numerous personal and collective 

exhibitions, his artworks now hang in many private and 

corporate collections throughout Europe, the United States 

and Malta. Being an unprolific artist he has strived over the 

years to bring a recognisable style to progressive subjects 

that have inspired him. The last couple of years have been 

concentrated on inspirations from our Maltese megalithic 

heritage. Clean lines, texture and collage effects dominate 

stylized symbolic and ever more playful compositions. 

Pierre Giusti 

99451757 

giustiart@gmail.com 

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Don Heywood: Bjorn Borg 

Pencil, 17 cm x 20 cm 

Estimate: € 250 - 300 

Don Heywood, born in 1944, is an internationally 

renowned artist who believes that everything he tackles 

should be finished to the highest professional standard. 

He made his impact on the art world with his portrait 

commissions of famous British people, the most significant 

being the commission in 1992 of a life-size portrait of 

Queen Elizabeth II of England. Don often visited South 

Africa and was fascinated by the variety and artistry of 

the traditional dress of black Southern African people. He 

travelled extensively and also fell in love with wildlife. He 

began painting animals and became involved in wildlife 

conservation in South Africa and the US. He painted 12 

of the endangered species studied by the Smithsonian 

Institute’s Conservation and Research Centre for their 25th 

Anniversary. 

Don Heywood 

99437717 

don.peter@simail.it

Don Heywood: Cougar Head (Felis Concolor) 

Mixed Medium, 60 cm x 54 cm 

Estimate: € 900 - 1100 


Don Heywood 

99437717 

don.peter@simail.it 

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Peter Heywood: Fishing in Grand Harbour, Kalkara 

Acrylic on Canvas, 50 cm x 40 cm 

Estimate: € 500 - 600 

It has been said that twins share a special bond. 

In the case of identical twins Peter Heywood and Don 

Heywood, the same can be said of their artistic talent. As 

the older brother by 10 minutes, Peter was born in England. 

As a self taught artist for more than thirty years, Peter has 

exhibited widely in the north of England and London, 

including one man shows in Saville Row (1988 and 1990) 

and at the Casino Maltese, Valletta (2006). Working mainly 

with acrylic on canvas, his early paintings were influenced 

by Andrew Wyeth. 

Through composition, colour, and texture, Peter’s 

art represents an uncompromising attention to detail. His 

work brings to focus and life the beauty of everyday scenes 

a viewer would normally take for granted. 

Peter Heywood 

(0039) 3490888774 

don.peter@simail.it

George Large: Pumpkins 


Estimate: € 900 - 1100 

Painting in watercolours and oils, Large was born 

in 1936 in Islington, London. In 1951, he attended life 

classes at St Martin’s School of Art. After National Service, 

he studied at the Hornsey College of Art and obtained his 

National Diploma of Art and Design, followed by the Art 

Teachers Certificate (1958-1963). He exhibited with the 

Society of Wood Engravers and was Vice-President in 

1972, and Treasurer in 1984; with the Society of Painter- 

Etchers and Engravers, 1963-5; with the Royal Institute of 

Painters in Watercolours from 1983, becoming a member 

in 1986. Winner of the Winsor & Newton Award, 1989 and 

Singer & Friedlander Sunday Times Competition, 1955. 

He had a solo show at Mall Galleries in 1980. His paintings 

usually have people as the main theme, at work or leisure, 

linked to their surroundings. The Larges have a house in 

Safi. His work is held in collections in Malta, Great Britain 

and elsewhere. 


99255223 


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C. S. Lawrence: Dgħajsa tal-Pass 

Acrylic. 70 cm x 50 cm 

Estimate: €450 - 600 

From an early age, C.S. Lawrence demonstrated 

an outstanding ability to draw faces, a skill for which she 

is now renowned. In 1969 her family moved from East 

Africa to the Middle East and a few years later she began 

exhibiting her work. All her annual exhibitions met with 

success and established her as a household name among art 

collectors in the region. 

Lawrence has absorbed much of the varying 

cultural influences of the places she’s lived in, which are 

all evident in her art. The launch of her ‘Faces of Africa’ 

portfolio exhibited first in Malta in 2004, followed by 

Sicily the year after, signalled her enduring fascination and 

preoccupation with capturing the faces of the continent 

where she was born. 

C. S. Lawrence 

99457399 

mfiorini@onvol.net

Tonio Mallia: Ġnejna 

Watercolour, 29.5 cm x 44 cm 

Estimate: € 600 - 800 

Tonio Mallia (b.1955) has been painting for 

20 years. He relentlessly experiments in the watercolour 

medium to evoke new ways of expression. His work has 

evolved through the years from that of a landscape and 

seascape artist to exploring the human element and in 

particular to capturing human emotion. His works are 

represented in numerous collections including those at 

HSBC, Bank of Valletta, Central Bank of Malta, Malta 

International Airport, Gozo Channel Company and in a 

number of hotels. 

Tonio Mallia 

79311343 

tmallia@maltanet.net 

29

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The artist’s publication is 

included with the painting 

Luciano Micallef: Abstract #54 

Acrylic on wood panel, 40 cm x 40 cm 

Estimate: € 500 - 600 

Luciano Micallef studied art at the Academy 

of Fine Arts in Florence between 1979 and 1983. He 

was responsible for numerous postage stamps, posters, 

book covers, trophies and catalogues. Luciano is equally 

known for his portraits of some prominent personalities: 

the President of Malta, the Prime Minister of Malta, 

Luciano Benetton, Oliviero Toscani, Ornella Muti, Roberto 

Benigni. In 1990 he was artist-in-residence at the VCCA 

in USA, followed by an award for an International Visitors 

Programme. Luciano has exhibited in museums and private 

galleries in Europe, Asia, USA and Australia. In 1996 

Luciano inaugurated Gallery 5, his own private gallery. 

Luciano Micallef 

79729019 

luciano@onvol.net

Andrew Micallef: Waiting for Light 

Watercolour, 15.5 cm x 20.5 cm 

Estimate: € 250 - 350 

Andrew Micallef, born in 1969 and brought up in 

Żebbuġ, Malta, used to accompany his father on long walks 

in the countryside and rural areas. That instilled in him 

his first love for nature, particularly for birds. Constantly 

portraying birds enabled him to develop a style of 

painstaking detail, not only in the anatomy of the bird itself 

but also for the habitat of each and every species depicted. 

His first solo exhibition was in 1986 at St. John’s 

Co-Cathedral Annex in Valletta, entitled ‘Bird Studies’, 

followed by another show on the same subject in 1989 at 

the Natural History Museum in Mdina. Through the years 

he changed both subject and medium and started giving 

particular attention to our rich and unique architectural 

legacy. Triumphal gates, arches, auberges, chapels and 

allegorical coat of arms all became his main focus. 

Andrew Micallef is the designer of at least 8 

sheets of stamps depicting endemic fauna and flora. 

Andrew Micallef 

99459134 

contact@micallefandrew.com 

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Andrew Micallef: Terraced Fields at 

Tal-Maqluba 

Acrylic on Board, 69 cm x 16 cm 

Estimate: € 1100 - 1300 


Andrew Micallef 

99459134 

contact@micallefandrew.com

Laurent Muller: Maltese Glory 

Painting under glass, Acrylic, 31 cm x 22 cm 

Estimate: € 1100 - 1300 

Born in France in 1975, studied at the École 

Nationale Supérieure de Création Industrielle in Paris and 

studied Design in Paris and New York during 1998-2001. 

Muller has resided in Malta since 2003 setting up his art 

studio in St Ursula’s Convent, Valletta, Malta since 2007. 

Recent solo shows include Itineraires, Ministry 

of Culture and Tourism, Malta, Genesis, 222, Malta, 

L’Amour…, Wignacourt Museum, Malta, Evanescence, 

National Museum of Fine Arts, Malta, 88, Palazzo 88, 

Malta, First, La Peniche Opéra, Paris. 

Laurent Muller 

99211388 

laurent888@gmail.com 

www.laurentmuller.com 

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Raymond Pitré: Vortex - 2000 

Mixed Medium, 36 cm x 51 cm 

Estimate: € 1500 - 1700 

Born in 1940, regarded as foremost Maltese 

Portrait painter, having painted all Maltese Prime Ministers 

and Presidents, the Portraits of whom adorn the Presidential 

Palace, Valletta and the Auberge de Castille, Valletta. He 

exhibited in Malta and abroad since 1976. His more personal 

works exploit mostly the neo-figurative possibilities in an 

ever new idiom, including works on paper, on canvas, on 

wood; besides a large body of sculptures in iron, wood and 

fibreglass; in 1999 two of his sculptures were exhibited at 

the Venice Biennale. In the year 2000 he was awarded the 

National Order of Merit by H.E. Prof. Guido de Marco, 

President of Malta. 

Raymond Pitré 

79201240

Peter Quinn: Valletta Opera 


Estimate: € 900 - 1100 

Born in Dumfries, Scotland, Peter Quinn attended 

the Glasgow School of Art from 1982-1987. He graduated 

with first class honours from the renowned Drawing and 

Painting Department in 1986, going on to spend a year 

studying Art History as a postgraduate in Glasgow. From 

1987 to 1990 Quinn had a studio in Glasgow and featured 

in many mixed exhibitions in Scotland and London. 

In 1990 he obtained a PhD in History of Art from 

the University of Sunderland, where he now teaches. He 

lives in Newcastle, and visits Malta regularly with his 

Maltese wife Josiette. Often in his paintings there are 

figures who seem to be involved in some sort of drama and 

story. Peter Quinn likes to leave it to the viewers to make 

up their own minds about what tale is unfolding. 


99255223 


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J. Vella: Vegetation 


Estimate: € 250 - 350 

Donated by Dr and Mrs Antoine Vella

Kenneth Zammit Tabona: Vara tal-Festa 

Pen, Ink & Watercolour, 51 cm x 36 cm 

Estimate: € 1100 - 1300 

Kenneth Zammit Tabona’s genre paintings are 

instantly recognisable as they are more than just images 

but idiosyncratic poems depicting glimpses into an idyllic 

world that has, like an ephemeral soap bubble, only just 

vanished into the irretrievable past. ZammitTabona captures 

the moment vividly in colourful tableaux that are indelibly 

Mediterranean and which have become desiderata for any 

serious, established and aspiring collector of Melitan art. 

Kenneth Zammit Tabona 

99427758 

kzt@onvol.net 

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Kenneth Zammit Tabona: The Offering 

Pen, Ink & Watercolour, 31 cm x 41 cm 

Estimate: € 1100 - 1300 


Kenneth Zammit Tabona 

99427758 

kzt@onvol.net

Antoine Paul Camilleri: Figure on Sofa 

Ceramics, 47 cm x 24 cm x 22 cm 

Estimate: € 400 - 500 

Antoine Paul Camilleri, born 5th August 1959, 

was apprenticed to Antoine Camilleri. He attended the 

Upper Secondary School and studied Art under Esprit 

Barthet and Pottery classes under Gabriel Caruana. 

Between 1983-1986 he followed a Diploma course at the 

School of Art (Diploma in Fine Arts) and between 1993- 

1995 taught Ceramic Design at the Art and Design Centre 

Valletta. He has held several one man shows, locally and 

abroad and participated in collective exhibitions. 

Antoine inspires himself from everyday activities 

and experiences, He lately worked on figurative works with 

stoneware clay. He also works on portraits in relief, slab 

building, and street scenes of typical Maltese streets. 

Antoine Paul Camilleri 

99428115 

mykonos@maltanet.net 

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Paul Haber: Untitled 

Ceramics, 110 cm 

Estimate: € 1400 - 1600 

Paul Haber is a ceramics graduate of the Central 

College of Art and Design in London. His works have been 

exhibited in museums and art galleries in many countries. 

His imagination is fired by his constant interaction with 

nature at the peaceful, rural environment of his studio in 

Mtahleb or his idyllic homeland Gozo. All of his works 

show great technical skill in the handling of materials, 

but Paul is compelled to create the sculpture by an inner 

urge to express himself and to share with others his artistic 

subconscious. 

Paul Haber 

79415224

George Muscat: Untitled 

Ceramics, 74 cm x 37 cm x 12 cm 

Estimate: € 900 - 1100 

Born in 1962, George Muscat studied ceramics 

under the ceramic artist Gabriel Caruana between 1975 

and 1978. He participated in several exhibitions in Malta 

and abroad including five Solos. He produced a series of 

TV educational programmes on the use of clay and taught 

ceramic courses to adult students on an ETC Training 

Scheme. After conducting evening courses (Beginners and 

Intermediate) to adults in Raku firing technique, currently 

he is lecturing ceramics at MCAST (Institute of Art and 

Design) to students following B.Tech National and Higher 

National Diploma in 3D and Fine Arts. 

George Muscat 

99471547 

egypt@maltanet.net 

www.gmuscat.com 

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Joe Xuereb: Imħabbitna 

Limestone, 52 cm x 28 cm x 23 cm 

Estimate: € 1100 - 1200 

Born in 1954 Joe Xuereb studied art at the Gozo 

Lyceum but his career really launched itself in 1973 after 

meeting the British archeologist Marie Claridge who 

directed him to work on Malta’s Prehistoric art. He has 

built his reputation by specializing in this type of art. His 

medium, the soft globigerina limestone, is highly suited 

to his working technique. Besides exhibitions in Berlin, 

Milano, Paris, Groningen and USA, his sculptures are 

represented in the ‘Salons’ of Galleries in Siena and New 

York. Nowadays he runs his own Gallery. 

Joe Xuereb 

21553559 

info@joexuereb.com

Antique Coin: Roman Silver Denarius 

Roman Emperor Domitian AD 81 – 96 

Estimate: € 130 - 200 

Obverse: Bust of Emperor Domitian facing right 

Reverse: IMP. XIIII. COS. XII. CENS. P. P. P. 

Minerva standing, left, shield at her feet 

Born in Rome in AD 51, Domitian was the 

younger son of Emperor Vespasian and Flavia Domitilla. 

On the death of his brother Titus, his succession was not 

disputed. At first he showed great promise, but later he 

became very unpopular with the senatorial nobility and 

this resulted in numerous plots and conspiracies. The last 

years of his reign were ones of terror and he was eventually 

murdered on September 18th, AD 96, as a result of a palace 

plot involving his wife Domitia and the Praetorian Prefect. 

Donated by Emmanuel Azzopardi 

99458133 

emmanuel@keyworld.net 

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44 

Antique Coin: Ottoman Gold Sequin 

Historical interest to Malta 

Estimate: € 480 - 700 

Cession of Malta to the Order of St John 

1522 Fall of Rhodes: 1565 Siege of Malta: 1566 Fall of Chios 

Ottoman: Sulayman the Magnificent 1520 -1566 

Gold Sequin: Mint Misr Egypt 

Obverse-Reverse: Marginal Cufic inscriptions 

The apogee of the Ottoman Empire came with the 

reign of Sulayman who succeeded in extending the Ottoman 

Empire from Budapest to Mecca, and from Mesopotamia 

to the borders of Morocco. 

In 1522, Sulayman attacked the Order of St John 

at Rhodes. After a prolonged siege, the Order, under Grand 

Master Philippe de Villiers de L’Isle Adam, was forced to 

capitulate. On the 1st January 1523 the Order left Rhodes. 

In 1565, the Turks were unsuccessful in their siege 

of Malta and were defeated by the Order of St John under 

the grandmastership of Jean Parisot de la Valette. 


99458133 

emmanuel@keyworld.net

Antique English Silver Card Case 

Estimate: € 150 - 250 

Queen Victoria period 1881 

Made in Birmingham 


99458133 

emmanuel@keyworld.net 

45

46 

Maltese Silver Wine Bottle Coasters 

Silver 925 

Estimate: € 400 - 500 

The Maltese Silver collection by Master 

craftsman, Victor Azzopardi specialises in handmade 

Maltese silverware, Maltese silver cutlery, centerpieces 

and ecclesiastic silver. 

Donated by Victor Azzopardi Jewellers 

99878556 

info@themaltesesilvercollection.com

Jaeger Le Coultre Ladies’ Wristwatch 

Estimate: € 1800 - 2200 

Watch Description Reverso Classique Ss 

(Stainless steel) 

Calibre 657 

Bracelet/Strap Alligator Leather 

Buckle Double Folding Buckle 

16.0mm (Polished) 

Technical Description 

Movement Quartz 

Power-reserve 48 Month 

Functions Hour - Minute 

Donated by Diamonds International 

As a major leader in its market, Diamonds International represent over 50 top international brands of prestige thus offering a wide range 

of exclusive products to both existing and potential clients. Set up in 1999, Diamonds International forms an integral part of the Classic Group, an 

organisation that has been leading Malta’s jewellery sector since 1972. Today, it successfully operates six boutiques in various exclusive locations 

namely its 500 square meter luxury boutique in Portomaso and a number of major 5 star hotels throughout the Maltese Islands offering its established 

local and foreign clientele a wide range of exclusive brands of fine jewellery, luxury timepieces and accessories. Indeed, besides exquisite timepieces 

from Audemars Piguet, Breguet, Cartier, Chanel, Omega, Piaget and Vacheron Constantin, one finds fine jewellery brands such as Alfieri & St John, 

Chaumet, Damiani, Marco Bicego, Mikimoto, Piaget, Stefa Hafner as well as the renowned Mont Blanc for memorable pens and fine leather accessories. 

Diamonds International is the only organisation in the Maltese Islands with an in-house team of professional goldsmiths, watchmakers and 

gemmologists. 

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The Fine Arts Auction Catalogue 

The Fine Arts Auction Committee 2009 would like to 

thank the following for giving their assistance in the 

production of the catalogue: 

Production and Photography: Department of Information 

Cover design: Ishmael Borg/Pure Concepts 

Photographs of the exhibits by Saviour Cassar and Omar 

Camilleri 

Printing: Government Printing Press 

Fine Arts Auction 2009 

On behalf of the Malta Community Chest Fund the Fine 

Arts Auction Committee would like to thank the following 

for their generous help in presenting the special event: 

Mr Joseph Sammut – Auctioneer 

Heritage Malta – Displays and paintings presentation 

and for their support: 

Parliamentary Secretary for Tourism, Dr Mario De Marco 

All participating artists and donors 

AF Sign Studio 

Alaine and Peter Apap Bologna 

Allied Newspapers Ltd. 

Casapinta Design Group 

Drs Demajo Dental Clinics 

M. Demajo Group 

First Magazine 

Flair Magazine 

Green Supplies 

Heritage Malta 

Island Caterers 

Meander, PBS 

Pol Roger Champagne 

Tug Malta Ltd. 

The Malta Independent 

The Picture House, Iklin 

The Office of the President 

San Anton Palace Staff

Fine Arts Auction 2009 Catalogue - Malta Community Chest Fund

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