Catalouge: The Lace Makers by Antoine Camilleri

Antoine Camilleri (1922-2005)
The Lace Makers
Date Unknown
Lino Print
Artist’s Proof
Dimensions

Provenance

The Lace Makers by Antoine Camilleri was recently purchased from an auction at Obelisk Auction House, Attard in 2018.[1]

We know that the lino print formed part of a local art collection prior to its purchase. A reliable source working at the auction house said that this particular artwork was originally given to an anonymous friend of the artist in lieu of rental fees. The friend offered his place in Gozo rent-free during a period when Antoine Camillieri was strapped for cash; as a thank you, Camilleri left this work in his apartment. The family of the original owner consigned this work to auction.

Report Summary

The Lace Makers, is one of a series of lino prints exploring trades and crafts in Malta by artist Antoine Camillieri (1922-2005) which also happens to focus the light on Maltese women (fig. 1). In this artwork one can witness two women in front of a typical rubble wall; one is looking at the other crafting traditional Maltese Lace (Bizzilla). The work was produced after a monochrome photograph of the two women and perfectly captures Camilleri’s intelligent compositional eye. It also highlights the importance of simplified linear design which he favoured in his work. The work’s condition requires attention and reframing is highly encouraged.

Figure 1 Antoine Camilleri, The Lace Makers, Undated, Lino Print

Report

The Lace Makers by Antoine Camilleri (1922-2005) represents two old women, one of whom is shown making traditional Maltese Lace (Bizzilla) (fig. 1). The woman on the right rests the lace pillow on a chair, while the woman on the left holds a plate. They are seated in front of a traditional Maltese rubble wall, known as ħajt tas-sejjieħ. The work was produced after a monochrome photograph of the two women which is not uncommon for Camilleri’s work (fig. 2).[2]  While Camilleri preferred to draw from live models, he often used photos as a source of inspiration or a frame of reference.[3] Camilleri adapted the photograph for the lino printing medium by distilling the most important lines and features of the women which aim to capture the mood of the photo.

Figure 2 Original black and white image of the lace makers, used as a source of inspiration for Antoine Camilleri

Camilleri constantly repeated themes, compositions in various media and revisited past work thereby engaging in a transformative process with each repetition.[4] The printing process is in itself a repetitive one. Artists often produce editions of the same work including Camilleri who often replicated his prints. However, he did not stop there, The Lace Makers was reinterpreted in Camilleri’s unique clay and resin technique (fig. 3). The artist made only slight compositional changes to fit the new medium however, the subject matter, the general mood and the women’s expressions remain the same. He is involved in two transformative actions, first from photograph to lino print then from photograph to clay, each time making subtle changes to suit the medium.

Figure 3 Antoine Camilleri, The Lace Makers, Undated, Clay and Resin on Wooden Board, 49 x 55cm

The repetitive nature of prints usually requires artists to adhere to a numbering sequence to justify their originality. However, Camilleri rarely followed a strict numbering sequence in the production of his prints. Rather during the height of his lino printing production, in the 1970s, the artist experimented with the technique rendering each print slightly different to the one that came before.[5] He was fond of experimentation, once saying

‘To succeed in painting, one must always experiment and create new methods and designs it is useless to always dig in the same pit.’[6]

One might say Camillieri was constantly searching to ‘create new methods’, dutifully refining his own artistic voice and looking for freedom within an established technical boundary.  He is searching for freedom within an established technical boundary. A study of Camilleri’s entire oeuvre of lino prints will immediately expose their ‘imperfect’ quality. He experimented with the application of the ink on the lino board, at times using a paint brush or a sponge, the result of which produced irregular streak marks in the final product.[7] Teaspoons too featured as part of his studio paraphernalia; once again he would transfer the ink to the paper, paying little attention to creating a ‘perfect’ end-product.[8] Perhaps best exemplified in Lost in Thought, where the ink would have been applied with a paint brush (fig. 4). He pushed the technique even further with his experimentation using putty as seen in Self-Portrait, where he pressed the putty into the lino board to create a bas-relief mould of his effigy (fig. 5). A comparison of the lino print and clay work reveal that the two were produced from the same board (fig. 6). Ultimately each edition produced by Camilleri would have been different, limiting the need to adhere to a numbering sequence.[9] He would also layer colours on the same page using the same lino board, which is rather unconventional in the lino printing technique (fig. 6).

Figure 6 Antoine Camilleri, Self Portrait, Undated, Lino Print

Line is a prominent feature in Camilleri’s work, a feature which can be traced back to his early artistic training. Between 1936 and 1945, he attended the Government School of Art in Valletta with Edward Caruana Dingli (1876-1950) who laid the groundwork for Camilleri’s emphasis on draughtsmanship. Caruana Dingli’s teaching style was very traditional and expected students to produce realistic representations of his sitters often scolding students who practiced in a modern idiom. Camilleri’s preference for economy of line was developed during his sojourn in Paris at the École Superieure des Beaux Arts where he studied under the guidance of Prof. Nicolas Unterstellar (1990-1967). Unterstellar was a stained-glass expert, a medium which requires the artist to distil the core features of his subject and likely informed Camilleri’s preference to this minimalist approach. Additionally, Unterstellar’s attitude to teaching allowed room for experimentation for the artist. It is in Paris where Camilleri first experienced a sense of artistic freedom which allowed him to find his own voice. His love of line is translated perfectly in his lino prints. The immediately noticeable simplicity and economy of line is employed in The Lace Makers, he gives the composition a dramatic and remarkable graphic quality only achievable by those adept in the technique of lino printing (fig. 1). Also noteworthy is his precision and intelligence with which he cut the lino board in order to create positive and negative spaces within the composition.

The importance of Camilleri’s work in the development of Maltese modern art is clear from his presence at the recently re-opened National Museum of Fine Arts, MUŻA, Valletta. Camilleri has also been the subject of numerous exhibitions most notably the 1999 Bank of Valletta retrospective and the 2015 exhibition titled Celebrating Antoine Camilleri (1922-2005), held at Spazju Kreattiv, St. James Cavalier in Valletta.[10] Although his work was not universally accepted in Malta during his lifetime, he was selected to represent Malta for the island’s premier participation in the Venice Biennale, 1958.[11]

There are numerous publications about the artist, including a monograph titled Antoine Camilleri: His Life and Work published in 2006 by Joseph Paul Cassar.[12] There is an article dedicated to the artist in the important 1991 the anthology of essays titled Malta: Six Modern Artists. Finally, Camilleri is prominently featured in Joseph Paul Cassar’s, 2010 book Pioneers of Modern Art Vol. 1 which outlines the artists who shaped the twentieth century in Malta.[13]

Figure 7 Damage on, Antoine Camilleri, The Lace Makers, Undated, Lino Print

Condition and Artemisia’s Recommendations

The current degree of damage to this artwork can be best described as slight to moderate. The paper displays no signs of foxing or mildew however, it appears to be perceptibly fragile to the point of breaking and tearing; this damage is located on the periphery of the artwork (fig. 7). The damage does not obstruct the subject in question or the viewing pleasure of the artwork. It is unclear as to what has caused the paper to react this way however, we suggest upgrading the current glass frame to prevent any sort of contact with the paper. Some dirt is also visible under the glass frame particularly close to the clamped edges of the work. Whilst the print does not seem to be at serious risk of further damage in the short-term, we still recommend it be monitored or corrected by a professional conservator.

Artemisia always recommends minimal intervention and always advocates reversible, professional methods of restoration. In this case we strongly recommend preventative measures as part of proper conservation where possible. Additionally, we advise for the print to be exhibited inside a controlled environment which receives minimal sunlight and cleaned infrequently. Cleaning should only be carried out gently with a dry feather duster.

Valuation

–