Paul Falzon, a young promising artist from Gozo, has just returned from an intensive course in oil painting at the internationally renowned Art Institute Lorenzo de’ Medici, Florence.
Falzon was born in 1983 and is a graduate in History of Art from the University of Malta. Falzon needs no introduction with the local community. He executed a series of banners depicting the life of Saint John the Baptist, patron saint of Xewkija. These bedeck the village streets during the feast in June. He is especially admired for a gigantic representation of the Baptist that is over six metres high and that embellishes the village square during the same festivities. A number of portraits and paintings that he executed can be found in private collections both locally and abroad.
In Florence, Falzon specialized in oil painting and executed still-life paintings, portraits, and studies on anatomy based on classical statues. Falzon not only did very well finishing first in class, but also received an individual mention of merit from his art tutor, Professor Mirella Ferrari. A BBC crew shooting a documentary on the artistic learning venues in Florence filmed at the Institute during his stay and Paul was interviewed.
During his stay, Falzon came in close contact with important masterpieces, foremost amongst them the Birth of Venus by Botticelli and the Annunciation by Leonardo da Vinci, both at the Galleria degli Uffizi. He also took the opportunity to visit the Sistine Chapel in Rome to admire Michaelangelo’s celebrated ceiling.
Paul said he is looking forward to proceeding in this line of specialization next year.
The photo above shows Paul Falzon at Lorenzo de’ Medici Institute in Florence.