Fondazzjoni Patrimonju Malti, Malta's heritage foundation, has released the 4th installment of Giovanni "Vanni" Bonello's acclaimed More Histories series, a milestone publication arriving just weeks after the author's 90th birthday and marking his 40th book. Titled Toiling in Craft: An Anthology of Stories on Art and Malta, the volume shifts from legal cases and biographical profiles to probe the human side of artistic creation—a departure that positions it as the most visually and culturally layered entry yet.
Why This Matters
• Local heritage reframed: Bonello uncovers hidden narratives behind Malta's art, from lost masterpieces to the symbolism of monkeys in Maltese language and imagery.
• A living archive: At 90, Bonello remains Malta's most prolific microhistorian, transforming archival dust into compelling storytelling.
• Photography and film origins: The book traces how cameras and cinema arrived on the island, reshaping public perception and cultural memory.
The Art of Imperfection
Where earlier volumes tackled crime (Vol. I), women's overlooked roles (Vol. II), and prominent personalities (Vol. III), Toiling in Craft zooms in on the restless, flawed impulse that drives artists. Bonello rejects the myth of pristine genius, instead framing creative labor as burden, necessity, struggle, and relief. The essays examine how guilt, circumstance, and frustration shape outcomes as much as inspiration does—a thesis he applies to figures ranging from Willie Apap to the eccentric British painter Richard Dadd.
One standout chapter examines the shifting symbolism of monkeys across Maltese art and vernacular. Louis J. Scerri, reviewing for the Times of Malta, called the research a "treat," noting how Bonello traces monkey imagery from medieval allegory (folly, sin) to colonial curiosity and eventually local idiom. Another essay revisits Antoine Favray, the 18th-century French portraitist whose Maltese output was long misattributed. Bonello argues that The Birth of Stanislao to Caterina Lott—depicting a noblewoman's delivery—may in fact be a veiled celebration of Favray's own son's birth, embedding personal joy within commissioned work.
Decoding Valletta's Main Guard Inscription
Bonello also tackles one of Valletta's most visible mysteries: the "Melitensium Amor" inscription carved into the Main Guard building in Valletta's city center. For decades, scholars debated its authorship and a conspicuous grammatical error. Bonello proposes a credible candidate for the scribe and reframes the error not as ignorance but as intentional rhetoric—a subtle reflection of the Order of St. John's relationship with the Maltese people. Scerri's review praised this "persuasive insight," noting how Bonello's archival research often rewrites accepted narratives with a single footnote.
Equally compelling is the exploration of the Castellania's marble sculptures (the former law courts in Valletta), which Bonello attributes to a Neapolitan craftsman. The revelation underscores a recurring theme: Malta's artistic heritage was often shaped by outsiders, exiles, and ordinary artisans—not just court-appointed masters.
Photography, Film, and the "Magical" Moment
A full chapter chronicles the arrival of photography and cinema in Malta, technologies that once seemed alchemical but now face skepticism in an increasingly digital age. He traces the first daguerreotype demonstrations in Valletta's public squares, the concerns raised about moving images, and the gradual loss of wonder as cameras became commonplace. The essay also asks what we lose when technology becomes ordinary—a question that feels urgent today.
Context: The More Histories Arc
The series began in 2023 with Falling in Eden, a collection of crime stories drawn from Knights Hospitaller court records and British colonial trials. Volume II, Blaming it on Eve, repositioned women as protagonists in legal, political, and cultural timelines, challenging centuries of omission. Volume III, Made in the Image, celebrated reformers, poets, and intellectuals—including Mikiel Anton Vassalli, whose 1795 plea for a Maltese-language school remains a touchstone for linguistic nationalism.
Toiling in Craft weaves these threads into a broader tapestry. Where Vassalli fought for language as identity, the artists here wrestled with medium as meaning. The book's release signals institutional backing for what amounts to a six-volume cultural rescue mission—Bonello has stated the series will ultimately span six thematic anthologies, each illuminating Malta's "micro-history" through anecdotes that "throw light on the greater canvas."
What This Means for Residents
For anyone interested in Malta's cultural DNA, Toiling in Craft functions as both a sourcebook and a corrective. It challenges the sanitized heritage tourism narrative by foregrounding the eccentricities, failures, and accidents that shaped the island's aesthetic legacy. Teachers, students, and cultural professionals will find it invaluable for reframing classroom discussions around art—not as a gallery of finished objects, but as a process riddled with compromise.
The book also offers practical insight for contemporary artists and curators working in Malta's creative sector. For instance, Bonello's account of 18th-century artists navigating multiple patrons mirrors today's freelance creative workers juggling Arts Council Malta grants with private commissions. His dissection of patronage dynamics under the Knights, the financial precarity of independent painters, and the tension between artistic vision and client demands remains acutely relevant. In an era when Malta's creative sector grapples with funding volatility and bureaucratic friction, these historical parallels are unmistakable.
A 90-Year-Old's 40th Book
Bonello's productivity is itself a story. A former judge and legal scholar, he pivoted to full-time historical writing after retirement, producing a book roughly every 18 months for the past two decades. His prose style—described by Scerri as "sharp, witty, and elegant"—transforms archival details into compelling narrative. The Times of Malta review praised his ability to make "profound scholarship" feel accessible, a rare skill in academic-adjacent writing.
The timing of Toiling in Craft also carries symbolic weight. Released shortly after Bonello's 90th birthday, the volume reads as both a capstone and a challenge—proof that age need not dull curiosity or rigor. His continued excavation of primary documents (letters, court transcripts, guild ledgers) sets a benchmark for Maltese historiography, demonstrating that the island's past is far from exhausted.
Reception and Next Steps
Early reviews have been uniformly positive. The Times of Malta called the essays "a valuable contribution" to understanding how flaws, guilt, and circumstance shape cultural output. Fondazzjoni Patrimonju Malti has scheduled a series of public lectures tied to the book's release, with Bonello himself slated to discuss the Favray rediscovery and the Melitensium Amor inscription at events in Valletta this autumn.
Where to Get the Book and Attend Events
Toiling in Craft is available through Kite Publishing and can be purchased at leading Maltese bookstores and online retailers. For specific pricing, availability, and the schedule of public lectures hosted by Fondazzjoni Patrimonju Malti in Valletta, contact the foundation or check their website for autumn event details featuring Bonello discussing his discoveries.
The Takeaway
Malta's artistic heritage is messier, stranger, and more human than official accounts suggest. Whether you're a resident curious about street-level history, an expat exploring local culture, or a professional navigating the island's cultural sector, Toiling in Craft offers a roadmap to the overlooked stories where the most interesting details live.
