The Life of Giuseppe Calì
Giuseppe Calì was a Maltese painter of Italian descent, born in Valletta. He was the son of Raffaele Calì, a musician and set designer, and Giovanna Padiglione, a mezzo-soprano. In 1865, at age 19, he moved to Naples to study at the Accademia di Belle Arti under Giuseppe Mancinelli. During his time in Naples, he also became close to Domenico Morelli. Calì returned to Valletta in 1867.
In Malta, Calì worked decorating private houses with portraits and landscapes, and after 1870, he accepted Church commissions. He was an art teacher at the Lyceum and established a school that included students such as his sons Ramiro Raffaele Calì and Raphael Bonnici Calì, as well as Gianni Vella and Ignatio Cefai. He died in Valletta.
Artistic Works and Legacy
Calì was a prolific artist, creating a vast number of compositions including paintings, drawings, portraits, and decorations for church vaults. His notable works include:
- The Death of Dragut (1867)
- St. Jerome and St. Lawrence altarpieces at the Sacro Cuor Church in Sliema
- Saint Joseph with Child for the parish church of St. Cajetan in Ħamrun
- The martyrdom of St. Demetrius for the parish church of Maria Bambina in Senglea
- A series of four putti entitled The Four Seasons at Villa Alhambra
His portraiture included figures such as Cardinal Lavigerie, Governor Richard More O'Ferrall, and Pope Pius IX. Some of his works, such as the crucifixion in the Stella Maris church, were lost during World War II.
