Horologist

Born at Mqabba,  the son of Baskal and Tereża née Agius, Mikielanġ moved to Luqa soon after his marriage to Mikelina Mifsud in 1847. After the death of his wife, Mikielanġ married her sister Marianna in 1857.

During his free time Sapiano used to visit the  workshop of Kalcedon Pisani, a watch-maker, and this was where the boy lost interest in carpentry and became fascinated with watch-making.  He was well trained and instructed in horology by Gananton Tanti of Marsa, who was a skilled blacksmith and metal-caster apart from being a renowned watchmaker.

At the age of fourteen, Sapiano set up  shop as a watch and clock repairer, becoming famous when he managed to repair the Mqabba church clock. In 1860 he made his first large clock for Gudja church and four years later he was awarded the silver medal in the Maltese Industry Exhibition.

Sapiano constructed some 21 large clocks for churches and other edifices. In 1862 he finished one for Kirkop and in 1872 one for Attard, whilst a year later he produced one with four quadrants for Kalkara church and another for Marsa Wharf.

In 1875 he manufactured clocks for the churches of Stella Maris, Sliema, Mellieħa, and Xewkija, whilst in 1877 he finished three others, namely one for the Addolorata Cemetery and two for Nadur and Sannat. He also made clocks for the churches of St George’s at Qormi, of St Paul’s, Birkirkara  (1878), and Luqa and Ħaż-Żebbuġ churches (1881). The last clocks he constructed were those for Mosta (1889), Bormla (1893) and Siġġiewi (1894). Two of his masterpieces were the clocks at the Marsa Wharf and of St Catherine’s Church at Alexandria.  This latter clock was admired for its clockwork mechanism, which not only drove the hands across four quadrants but also actuated another clock in the sacristy, 70 feet away.

Sapiano also built a weighing-machine for the Malta Customs which could not only register heavy weights but also minimal ones like that of a seed of grain! 

Sapiano was acclaimed as the ‘Maltese Mechanical Genius’. In 1908 Sapiano was presented with the Society of Arts, Manufactures, and Commerce’s gold medal. 

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