Members of Heritage Malta learned about old master drawings today and saw some works from our collection as part of our research project funded by the Getty Foundation 'The Paper Project's initiative, together with MSC at HMML #paper #drawings #gettypaperproject

Have a look at the new opening hours of Heritage Malta sites. Our museum will be closed on Tuesdays.

Just as British Governor Hastings lies in state in this early 19th-century watercolour from the MUŻA collection, put 2022 to rest, learn from the experiences it brought and brace yourself for the brand new year starting tomorrow. Happy 2023!

While wishing all a very lovely Christmas, we give you this painting by an artist influenced by the Italian master, Francesco Solimena. It shows the Holy Family resting during its escape from the threat of death on Baby Jesus.

This drawing is by the French artist Jean-Antoine Constantin known as Constantin d’Aix (1756-1844). He used brown or grey wash, and pen and ink. The wash in the background is less detailed and lighter to convey depth, while parallel lines in pen and ink emphasize the shadows.

The perspective is especially fine in this print, which was published one year after Hiroshige's death (1797 - 1858).
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Today is World Soil Day and to commemorate the importance of soil we are showing this beautiful 1869 oil on canvas painting by Girolamo Gianni (1837-1895), titled ‘Tarscein House’, which gives us charming views of crop fields and workers with very few buildings in the distance.

Today is the feast of St Andrew the Apostle. So it was only fitting to bring to light the Maltese artist, Giuseppe Calleja’s drawing of this saint with his typical attribute, the x-shaped cross.

Planning a visit to MUŻA?

Don’t forget our opening hours which are 9:00AM till 4:30PM. While you’re at it, why not enjoy a superb lunch at the MUŻA restaurant?

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As today is the United Nations’ Universal Children’s Day, Giuseppe Calì’s precocious self-portrait, painted when he allegedly was still a 10-year-old child, has been chosen. Let’s always remember to celebrate the beauty and value of children.

This pen and ink drawing shows Apollo crowning the muse Caliope. To the right are other muses accompanied by Mercury. The grid drawn in pencil shows that this was a preparatory sketch for a painting or a print as the artist would copy the design grid by grid.

This watercolour of the Basilica of Maxentius and Constantine in the Roman Forum by Filippo Maria Giuntotardi (1768-1831) is an example of views bought as mementoes by travellers on their Grand Tour. They were reproduced as prints or published in travelogues.

This ukiyo-e reprint showcases Hiroshige’s (1797 - 1858) Sumida River with a scene of a custom known as 'taking in the cool of the evening' where along the river sides, tea shops, show tents and stands were set up and crowded by the people who enjoyed a summer night.

Take a look at what’s on at MUŻA during the month of November.

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Depicting a tranquil, snowy night, this work is generally regarded as 'the masterpiece' of Hiroshige (1797-1858). It is generally agreed that the snowy view is probably the creation of Hiroshige's imagination.

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In this late 15th-century drawing, Vittore Carpaccio uses white lead heightening to great effect to create a fuller range of tonal values. The sheet of paper was coloured so that it acts as a middle tone between the white heightening and the dark ink.

Seen in a 17th-century painting on display at MUŻA, this competently captured dog reminds us of the famous claim that dogs are man’s best friend, an idea first made by King Frederick of Prussia in 1789.

It is World Food Day today and it was World Egg Day two days ago. So we kind of put our eggs in one basket as did this woman in the “Denial of St Peter” painting at MUŻA. Eggs have been symbols of life, rebirth and renewal throughout time and across cultures.

Anton Agius was a keen observer of nature and sketched frequently. He drew his dog from different angles and poses and drew mundane things like fish bones and rocks. In a rock formation, he saw a human figure and wrote notes on how to develop this into a sculpture.

A detail from a Northern European painting at MUŻA shows an open book with a quote in Old Dutch from the Epistle to the Romans in the Bible. Intriguing indeed!

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