Anġlu Farrugia & the Caravaggio: A Tale of Art, Intrigue, and Daphne
In the heart of Valletta, at the bustling St. George’s Square, a plaque marks the spot where a masterpiece was stolen, sparking a tale of art heist, international intrigue, and a journalist’s relentless pursuit of truth. Anġlu Farrugia, Malta’s Minister for Gozo, finds himself at the centre of this whirlwind, his name forever linked to the Caravaggio that got away and the arrest of Daphne Caruana Galizia.
Caravaggio’s ‘Beheading of Saint John the Baptist’ – A Malta Treasure
The stolen painting, ‘The Beheading of Saint John the Baptist’, was part of Malta’s rich artistic heritage, housed in the Oratory of the Conventual Church of St. John in Valletta. Caravaggio’s dramatic realism brought the biblical scene to life, attracting visitors from around the globe. Until one night in 1984, when it vanished without a trace.
Anġlu Farrugia: Minister, Art Lover, and Unwitting Player
Anġlu Farrugia, then a young lawyer, was drawn into the drama years later. In 2011, he was part of a delegation negotiating with the Kimbell Art Museum in Texas, where the stolen Caravaggio had resurfaced. Farrugia, now Minister for Gozo, recalls, “It was surreal. There we were, Maltese officials, face-to-face with our stolen heritage.” The negotiations failed, but the encounter ignited a passion in Farrugia to bring the masterpiece home.
Daphne Caruana Galizia: The Journalist Who Wouldn’t Let It Go
While Farrugia was navigating diplomatic waters, Daphne Caruana Galizia was waging a war on another front. The intrepid journalist, known for her blog ‘Running Commentary’, relentlessly pursued the story. She exposed political connections, questioned official narratives, and kept the pressure on. Her tenacity led her to the doorsteps of the powerful, including Anġlu Farrugia.
In 2015, Caruana Galizia alleged that Farrugia had been involved in a secret deal to buy the Caravaggio. The minister vehemently denied the claims, but the damage was done. His name was forever linked to the high-profile case, and the journalist who wouldn’t let it go.
On October 16, 2017, a car bomb claimed Caruana Galizia’s life in a brutal act of silencing. Her murder through Malta and the international community. Three years later, her killers were convicted, but the masterminds remain at large. The Caravaggio, too, remains in Texas, a symbol of Malta’s lost heritage and the journalist who fought to reclaim it.
