HSBC Malta Foundation rescues Anton Inglott’s iconic festa painting from deterioration

**HSBC Malta Foundation breathes new life into Anton Inglott masterpiece at MUŻA**

The HSBC Malta Foundation has announced a €15,000 grant to restore a significant work by Maltese modernist painter Anton Inglott, marking another crucial investment in the island’s cultural heritage that will see the masterpiece return to public display at MUŻA after years in storage.

The 1943 oil painting, titled “Il-Każin tal-Banda” (The Band Club), captures a quintessentially Maltese scene that resonates deeply with local communities – the village band club serving as the beating heart of festa celebrations. Inglott’s work, measuring an impressive 120cm by 150cm, had suffered from decades of exposure to Malta’s humid climate, with paint flaking and canvas deterioration threatening its survival.

“This restoration represents far more than preserving paint on canvas,” explained Maria Grazia Cassar, HSBC Malta Foundation Chairperson. “Anton Inglott documented Maltese life during a pivotal period in our history. By saving this painting, we’re safeguarding a window into our collective soul – the village festa culture that still defines our communities today.”

The timing proves particularly poignant as Malta’s festa season approaches its summer peak. Inglott, who lived from 1915 to 1945, created this work during World War II, capturing the enduring spirit of Maltese community life even as the island endured relentless bombing campaigns. His premature death at 30 from tuberculosis cut short what many consider a promising career that bridged traditional Maltese artistic themes with European modernist techniques.

Conservation work will be undertaken by Heritage Malta’s specialist team at their Bighi facilities, employing cutting-edge techniques including microscopic analysis and UV photography to understand the painting’s condition fully. The six-month restoration process will address structural issues while preserving Inglott’s distinctive brushwork – characterized by bold, expressive strokes that captured both the grandeur and intimacy of Maltese festa celebrations.

Noel Zammit, MUŻA Senior Curator, emphasized the painting’s cultural significance: “Inglott didn’t just paint buildings and processions – he captured the very essence of Maltese community identity. The band club wasn’t merely a venue; it was where villagers gathered, where identities formed, where the festa spirit lived year-round. This work serves as a vital historical document of social life that continues today.”

The restoration project aligns with HSBC Malta Foundation’s 15-year track record of supporting cultural heritage initiatives, having previously funded conservation work on works by Giuseppe Calì and Edward Caruana Dingli. Their commitment has helped preserve over 50 significant Maltese artworks, contributing to an estimated €2 million investment in the island’s cultural capital.

Local band club members have welcomed the initiative. Mario Farrugia, President of the Società Filarmonica Maria Mater Gratiæ in Żabbar, noted: “Our każini are living institutions, passed from generation to generation. Seeing Inglott’s vision restored reminds younger Maltese of traditions worth preserving – the same way we’re preserving our band music, our processions, our village identity.”

The restored painting will feature prominently in MUŻA’s redesigned Maltese modernism gallery, scheduled to reopen in autumn 2024. Educational programs will connect Inglott’s 1940s vision with contemporary Maltese festa culture, helping visitors understand how these traditions evolved while maintaining their core community function.

As Malta continues balancing rapid development with heritage preservation, this restoration project demonstrates how private-public partnerships can protect cultural assets that define national identity. The HSBC Malta Foundation’s investment ensures future generations will experience Inglott’s powerful testament to Maltese community spirit – proof that some things, like our devotion to village festas, remain beautifully constant even as the world changes around us.