I was lucky to be invited by Carmelo Mangion's daughter Adrienne Cassar to view many of her father's works which included paintings and etchings.
Carmelo Mangion was born in 1905 and was one of Malta's leading pioneers of Modern Art. His favourite media were oils and gouache, while he was also equally proficient in watercolour and etchings.
Brooklyn Bridge, New York (signed)
This is an etching done at the time while Mangion was studying in New York. It is a scene depicting the Brooklyn Bridge. His style has a certain roughness and the darkest area is in the foreground. The paper is stained due to its age and maybe improper storage.
Power Station 22 x 15.5cm unsigned
This is a powerful depiction of the effects of industry. The composition creates a sense of balance. The dark areas around the chimneys gives focus to the main subject. The foreground is light and so the eyes are directed to the chimneys.
Gouache on paper 30 x 20 cm signed and undated
This is a painted version of the same subject as the etching. In the Two Chimneys the colours are limited and mostly in shades of white. One of the chimneys is closer to the viewer. The brush strokes are visible and give the painting a sense of movement.
Christ Before Pilate
Oil on masonite (65 x 83cm)
The colours in this painting are strong and bold. The reddish orange shades are in the centre while the dark shades of greens surround the painting. Christ is painted in white with a halo around his head. He hangs his head waiting for whatever punishment he is about to get. The walls and the ground form triangular shapes. The group of figures, Pilate and Christ also form a triangle. The ground is like it is reflecting water with oranges and tourqoise. The colours and the composition give it an expressionist feel.
Rooftops
Gouache on paper
60x36cm
This is an abstract painting. The buildings are flat with simple shapes of rectangles and sqaures. The colours are mostly shades of pink, whites and light blues. The sky is painted dark with a large circle which could be the moon or the sun.
Bibliography
(online) Available at:<http://www.culturalmalta.org/index.php/Art/Artists/Carmelo-Mangion.html (Accessed 21st May 2014)
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