A new addition to the Chamber of Advocates collection of Presidents’ portraits

The Chamber of Advocates has received an addition to its display of portraits of past presidents that embellish the Chamber Hall, following the donation by brothers Christopher and David Grech of a copy of the original painting by Giuseppe Calì of their great, great uncle Oreste Grech Mifsud.

Born on 10 January 1848, Oreste Grech Mifsud LL.D, CMG, was President of the Chamber of Advocates for two terms – from 1885 to 1902 and from 1905 to 1920 – making him the longest serving President of the Chamber.

Christopher and David Grech explained that Oreste and Giuseppe Cali were friends who had grown up together in Valletta, and that this portrait was painted by Cali for his friend following an important commission of paintings for the parish church of Mosta, where Oreste resided.

Chamber President Dr George Hyzler and SecretaryGeneral Dr Stefan Camilleri accepted the donation on behalf of the Chamber and thanked the brothers for their contribution, which will join the collection of portraits.

Oreste graduated from the Royal University of Malta with his LLD in 1871 and was admitted to the Bar the following year. He soon established himself as one of the leading legal minds of his generation, winning court cases and giving wise counsel to his clients. He was known for his integrity and was entrusted with the administration of a number of family estates.

His keen interest in local pol- itics, and his support of Fortunato Mizzi and his political party, earned him an important role as one of the principal architects of the newly drafted Constitution in 1887. It was an important development because the new Constitution provided, for the first time, for a majority of elected members in the Council of Government.

Oreste was offered a seat on the judicial bench a number of times but he always refused, partially because his position would have prevented him from enjoying the company of his lawyer friends and secondly because he would have had to refrain from any political activity.

Oreste Grech Mifsud died in 1925, aged 78, at his home in Mosta.