Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1495665
maltatoday | SUNDAY • 26 MARCH 2023 4 ART Two paintings loaned by Heritage Malta for exhibition of works by Esprit Barthet TWO paintings by Esprit Barthet (1919 – 1999) which are part of the national collection have been loaned by Heritage Malta to be displayed in the ex- hibition Esprit Barthet – A Life of Colour, which brings together several important works by this leading 20th century Maltese artist. The paintings are Marì tal-Ba- jd from the MUŻA collection, and The Bathers which is usually displayed at the Girgenti Palace. They will be showcased from 26th March till 28th May at Il- Ħaġar Museum in Gozo, during this landmark retrospective ex- hibition where visitors may view Barthet's famous 'rooftops' se- ries as well as a good representa- tion of portrait paintings and experimental styles throughout his career. Marì tal-Bajd was created in 1964 and is regarded by many, including the artist himself, as the best work ever produced by Barthet. It is a milestone in Maltese 20th century portrai- ture, representing a new way of looking at portraiture on the local shores. As one of the few non-commissioned works by Barthet, this portrait is less for- mal and more expressive. The striking aspect of this work on canvas is the frontal monu- mental seating position which presents the viewer with the strong features of the sitter – a woman who used to sell eggs and vegetables to Barthet's family in Xemxija. The Bathers, created in 1968, is one of a series of paintings pro- duced by Barthet following his experiments with the 'rooftops'. In this series, the artist over- laid masses of coloured squares on human figures. Barthet uses heavy impasto to conceive this effect. The subject of the paint- ing are the female nude figures or the different coloured masses. Throughout his career, Esprit Barthet worked in series, exper- imenting with different styles consecutively. He played an es- sential part in the emergence of modern art in Malta and was a major influence for many local budding artists. Esprit Barthet – A Life of Colour surveys the several milestones of his career, also through examples from col- lections which are not easily ac- cessible.