2001 - Antique Sicilian Maiolica in Malta at St James Cavalier

Antique Sicilian Maiolica in Malta was organised in collaboration with the Istituto Luigi Storzo of Caltagirone, Sicily, and was held at St James Cavalier, Centre for Creativity, Valletta. Giusy Larina was curator of the exhibition, and it was designed by Luigi Belvedere, both from Sicily.
On display were 114 maiolica jars, kindly on loan from the National Museum of Fine Arts, Cathedral Museum Mdina, Wignacourt Museum Rabat and private collections.
These decorative, vibrant, pharmacy ceramics date back to the 17th and 18th centuries, and were imported by the Knights for use in the Sacra Infermeria and the Santo Spirito hospitals. Their use was to preserve medicinal concoctions, plant roots and ointments. The decorative motifs consist mainly of flowers and fruits, and religious representations, although emblems of the Grand Masters, under whose reign they were commissioned, often feature.
Through the initiative of the Italian Cultural Institute in Malta, the exhibition also traveled to Ragusa and Caltagirone in Sicily, as well as The Hague. The exhibition was complemented by a full colour, bilingual catalogue raisonne in English and Italian.

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