Sculptor

Born in Żebbuġ, son of Giuseppe Sciortino and Saveria Sant, and brother of the well-known sculptor, Antonio, Francis Xavier studied at the Regia Istituto di Belle Arti in Rome and the British Academy of Art in Via Margutta. His first success was a diploma work, representing the martyrs of St Elmo.

Between 1903 and 1912, Sciortino was commissioned to arry out the decoration of several churches in Malta. He designed the façade, aisles, and dome of the parish church of Nadur (1907). In 1913 he left Malta to settle in Montreal,  Canada.

In his adapted homeland, Sciortino produced several outstanding works of art, including monumental compositions and stucco decorations. Whilst in Canada he exhibited regularly at the salon of the Royal Canadian Academy. Within a short period of time, he was nominated associate member of the Academy.

In 1939 Sciortino returned to Malta where he was working on stucco decorations and low-relief bronze works for several churches, including stucco decoration for }ejtun parish church, design of silver tabernacle at St Helen Basilica, Birkirkara, and the antipendium of the altar of the Redeemer at the Oratory of the Crucifix at Senglea.

In 1954 he went back to Canada, where he died four years later at Oka, a small village some 35 miles away from Montreal, where he used to live.

This biography is part of the collection created by Michael Schiavone over a 30-year period. Read more about Schiavone and his initiative here.