An “exceptional”exhibition of paintings by Esprit Barthet (1919-1999), curated by Nicoline Sagona, will be on display at Il-Hagar Museum in Gozo, in – A Life of Colour.

These important works on display by one of Malta’s leading 20th century artists – is an actual first for Gozo, the museum said.

Barthet is of the same generation as Anton Inglott, Victor Diacono, Willie Apap, and Emvin Cremona – and his artistic training followed the same pattern as that of his contemporaries, with World War II interrupting the young students’ training abroad.

Despite initial hesitation, Esprit managed to establish a style of his own and eventually played an essential role in the emergence of modern art in Malta.

Barthet’s name is synonymous with the famous ‘rooftops’ – a series which he produced mainly in the 1960s and 1970s. He was also a well-known portrait painter and received a considerable number of commissions, not excluding for well-known personalities.

Throughout his career he worked in series, experimenting with different styles consecutively. Having served as an art teacher for many years, Barthet also contributed to the educational scene – with an influential role on budding artists.

A Life of Colour surveys main milestones in his career, also through examples from collections which cannot be easily visited.

Curator Nicoline Sagona graduated in History of Art in 2001, discussing Esprit Barthet’s artistic contribution; she later obtained an M.A. in Cultural Heritage Management.

A Heritage Malta employee, she is Senior Curator at the Gozo Museums and Sites which include the UNESCO World Heritage Ggantija.

She has researched and published on various topics, especially related to foreign artists who painted Gozo during their travels. Sagona has been involved in the curation of many temporary exhibitions, ranging from art history to archaeology to ethnography.

A Life of Colour opens on Sunday, the 26th of March until the 28th of May.

The accompanying catalogue is published as Il-Hagar GEMS 24. Support is acknowledged from numerous institutions, private and public.

This museum is located in St George’s Square, Victoria and is open 9am to 5pm seven days a week, without any entrance fee.

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