ID-DIPARTIMENT TAL-MUZEWIJIET JIXTRI PITTURA TA' ANTON SCHRANZ IL-MISSIER

Nhar il-Hamis, 30 ta' Novembru 2000, il-Muzew Nazzjonali ta' l-Arti xtara f'irkant il-pittura ‘Veduta tal-Port il-Kbir' ta' Anton Schranz il-Missier (1789-1839) minn ghand id-ditta Sotheby's ta' Londra. L-akkwist sar mill- Kummissarju Gholi f'Londra, Dr George Bonello Dupuis, f'isem id-Dipartiment tal-Muzewijiet.

Din il-pittura tista' tigi ddatata ghat-tieni kwart tas-seklu 19 (bejn l-1817 meta l-artist wasal Malta minn Minorca u l-1839, is-sena meta miet) u turi xena Maltija li Anton Schranz kien maghruf sew ghalihom. Ix-xena hija tal-Port il-Kbir mas-sebh, filwaqt li jidhru wkoll bastiment tal-gwerra Inglizi u xi opri ohrajn, filwaqt li fuq quddiem wiehed jista' jsegwi diversi xeni tipici tal-hajja Maltija.

Din sejra tkun l-ewwel pittura ta' Anton Schranz il-Missier fil-Kollezzjoni Nazzjonali u sejra tigi esebita ghall-pubbliku fil-Muzew Nazzjonali ta' l-Arti.

MUSEUMS DEPARTMENT BUYS PAINTING BY ANTON SCHRANZ THE ELDER

On Thursday, 30 November 2000, the Museums Department successfully bid for the purchase by auction of a painting ‘View of the Grand Harbour' by Anton Schranz the Elder (1789-1839) from Sotheby's (London). Bidding was carried out by the High Commissioner in London, Dr George Bonello Dupuis, on behalf of the Museums Department.

This painting may be approximately dated to the second quarter of the 19^th century (between 1817, when the artist arrived in Malta from Minorca, and 1839, the year of the artist's death in Malta) and depicts a Maltese scene for which Anton Schranz was well known. The painting depicts the Grand Harbour at sunrise, with a British man-of-war and other sea vessels; in the foreground are vignettesfrom daily Maltese life.

This will be the first painting by Anton Schranz in the National Collection and will be on public display at the National Museum of Fine Arts for the nation.