Giuseppe Cali (1846-1930)
“At the end of the nineteenth century Cali worked on several projects in churches, including those of the lateral paintings located in the parish of the Annunciation in Tarxien, and the painting of St. Dominic in the church of St. Dominic also known as Porto Salvo in Valletta, where he was baptised.
Among the many important artists we find in our country, without doubt is the painter Giuseppe Cali. Many of our churches boast works of art by this amazing painter.
Giuseppe Cali was born in Valletta on the 14th of August 1846, to Raffaele Cali a scenographer at the Royal Theater and Giovanna nee Padiglione a mezzo-soprano. They were both Neopolitan who moved to Malta during the Italian Risorgimento.
In Cali’s family we find a couple of members who had a great love for art. As a young boy, Giuseppe was sent to study in Naples at the Accademia di Belle Arti. At that time it was not common for artists to study outside Rome. His time in Naples was spent under the tutor Giuseppe Mancinelli, but he soon developed a liking towards the realistic style of Domenico Morelli, who at the time was the best Neapolitan artist.
When he returned to Malta the style of Morelli could clearly be seen in his work. This is particularly evident in his famous painting ‘The Death of Dragut’ painted in 1867. It was bought by the Maltese Government and hangs in the Palace Armoury. In this painting one can see the strong influence of French romanticism.
Shortly after arriving in Malta, Giuseppe Cali married Perennia Pace from Isla in 1871. It is worth noting that out of his ten children, his son Ramiro became a renowned artist too.
The influence of Romanticism that he brought with him from Naples, can be seen in most of his early paintings like in the case of the altarpiece of the Mosta Parish church depicting Our Lady of the Rosary, completed in 1870, and which was his first work for churches in Malta. The same influence can be seen in the painting of Saint Lawrence which he did for the Sliema Parish church of Sacro Cuor in 1881, and the painting of Saint Jerome (Gerolmu) in this same church completed the following year. Furthermore this style can also be seen in his painting of 1885, for the parish church of St. Cajetan in Hamrun, that of St. Joseph and Child, and in the Martyrdom of St Demetrius for the Parish church of Maria Bambina Isla, painted in 1885.
Cali also created several works of art with the artist Carlo Ignazio Cortis, like those found in the parish church of St Lawrence in Vittoriosa and Christ the Saviour Church in Lija.
At the end of the nineteenth century Cali worked on several projects in churches, including those of the lateral paintings located in the parish of the Annunciation in Tarxien, and the painting of St. Dominic in the church of St. Dominic also known as Porto Salvo in Valletta, where he was baptized.
Cali made a quick impact on Maltese society and was best known for his painting of faces. He also had worked on many private commissions for decorating houses, as well as portraits of well-known people in Malta. He made about fifty portraits altogether. These include the portrait of the Cardinal Lavigerie painted in 1884 which was first placed in the sacristy of the parish church of St Paul's Shipwreck in Valletta and then moved elsewhere.
Later in 1896 he painted Cardinal Logue, who had visited Malta earlier, which hangs in the parish church of St Publius in Floriana. We also find many of his portraits in the Chamber of Commerce in Valletta. These include Governor Richard More O'Ferrall, the Marquis Emanuele Scicluna, Giovanni Battista Schembri, Achille Camilleri and Edward V. Ferro. In the palace of San Anton in Attard we find a portrait of Sir Victor Houlton, the Chief Secretary to the Government of Malta painted in 1881.
Cali was a quick worker and throughout his life it is said that he produced about two thousand works of art. Unfortunately during the war many beautiful works got destroyed including that of the Crucifixion which he had painted for the parish of Stella Maris in Sliema in 1888.
Giuseppe Cali remained working until the end of his life. He died in Valletta on the 1st of March 1930, at the venerable age of 84.
To commemorate the one hundred and fifty years since the birth of Giuseppe Cali, in 1996, a Bronze monument produced by Ċensu Apap was unveiled in the Upper Barrakka Gardens in Valletta. In 2004 a coin was minted to commemorate this special artist’s achievements.
To end this article I’d like to mention further works by Cali namely,
• The Our Lady of Mount Carmel painted in 1879 for the Parish Church of Hamrun
• The Our Lady of Doctrine painted in 1879 for the Oratory of the Parish Church of Żurrieq
• Saint Andrew painted in 1882 for the Old Church of Għajnsielem, in Gozo
• The death of Saint Augustine painted in 1883 for the Parish Church of Mosta
• David, Ezekiel, Moses and Isaiah painted in 1884 found on the dome of the Parish Church of Cospicua
• The Glory of St Lawrence painted in c.a. 1889 for the Parish Church of St Lawrence in Gozo
• The Adoration of the Magii painted in 1895 for the Parish Church of Tarxien
• Christ Surrounded by Children painted in 1897 for the Parish Church of Lija
• Christ the Samaritan painted in 1900 for the Parish Church of Cospicua
• St Francis de Paola painted in 1900 for the Parish Church of Tarxien
• The Good Shepherd painted in 1911 for the Anglican Chapel in Bighi, Kalkara