Distinguished Artist
Robert Ferdinand Garnet Caruana Dingli was born in Valletta, the son of Major Raphael Caruana Dingli* and Martha née Garrone. His siblings were Antonia, the renowned artist Edward, Maria, and Helen. His second cousin Raffaele Caruana Dingli* was also an accomplished artist who was linked to the accomplished Neapolitan artist Girolamo Gianni.
Caruana Dingli studied art under Giuseppe Cali* at the Lyceum. Cali’s daughter Margaret later married Robert’s first cousin Antonio Cassar Torregiani*. The Cassar Torregiani’s house was attacked during the Sette Giugno riots in 1919. Caruana Dingli was briefly employed at the post office but he gave this up to develop his skills as an artist drawing caricatures of prominent personalities and later designs and illustrations for Mgr Laspina’s* Outlines of Maltese History and E.B. Vella’s* Ġabra ta’ Ward. He also drew cartoons for London Opinion, Punch, and Tatler. In 1908 he was a founder member of the Malta Art Amateur Association which provided Caruana Dingli and other artists with opportunities to exhibit their work.
Robert Caruana Dingli was engaged from 1911-1913 as a commercial artist by Gilbert Whithead & Co. in London and also furthered his studies at evening courses in art. On returning to Malta he taught art privately. In 1914 he travelled again to London to try and sell a painting that he acquired in Malta. He visited museums, attended lectures on art and discussed, studied, and read about painting and experimented with ideas and techniques in painting. He was intensely interested in colour. On the way back to Malta in 1915 one of the German Kaiser’s submarines surfaced close to the ship which Robert was travelling on, terrifying him and the other passengers. In 1915 he was appointed to the National Committee for the statue of Christ the King, marking the International Eucharistic Congress, with Vincenzo Bonello*, Antonio Sciortino*, Lazzaro Pisani*, Edward Caruana Dingli*, Gianni Vella*, and Dr Enrico Mizzi*.
On 24 October 1916 Robert Caruana Dingli married Carmela Aquilina at the church of Our Lady of Graces in High Street, Sliema. They lived in various houses in Sliema throughout their life.
In 1916 Caruana Dingli The Society of Arts, Manufacture, and Commerce awarded him the Gold Medal and Diploma for Painting. His most famous achievement was an Orientalist frieze painted in 1918, commissioned by the Colombos Cigarette Company. For this he was awarded a gold medal by the Malta Society of Arts, Manufacturers, and Commerce. In the early 1920s the young family moved to Gozo where Robert was commissioned to carry out work for Gozitan churches and he taught art at the seminary. He painted commissions for Ta’ Pinu Sanctuary and the churches of St George at Rabat, Fontana, Xagħra, Munxar, Għasri, and Żebbuġ. In 1923 Robert received the silver medal in the Malta Preliminary Show for the British Empire Exhibition and he received the Silver Medal at the British Empire Exhibition.
After winning a public competition in 1926, Robert Caruana Dingli was appointed as teacher of Drawing and Acting Director at the newly opened School of Art. He was well known for his sense of humour and frequently spent time at Valletta coffee shops with his students. In 1939 Caruana Dingli’s health deteriorated, and he visited Moudon in the Swiss Alps and Catania to try and improve his condition. He retired from the School of Art in 1939 and passed away on 18 February 1940. His funeral was attended by Dr Enrico Mizzi and several former students among others.
A commemorative exhibition of Robert’s work was held at the Museum of Fine Arts in 1980 on the 40th anniversary of his death. A bust of Robert by the sculptor George Borg was donated to the National Museum of Fine Arts by Caruana Dingli’s son Mario in 1973.
Robert Caruana Dingli and Carmelina had five children, Hugo, Helen, George, Mario, and John. Robert Caruana Dingli died at his home at the age of 57.
This biography is part of the collection created by Michael Schiavone over a 30-year period. Read more about Schiavone and his initiative here.