Painter

The second son of Orazio Buhagiar and Giuseppa née De Barro, Rocco was born in Cospicua. After the death of Francesco Zahra,  Rocco Buhagiar was the principal artist of religious art.

He was a pupil of Enrico Arnaud, also studying under Agostino Masucci.

In 1752 Buhagiar travelled to Rome and studied under the painter Giacomo Zaboli and returned to Malta in 1763.

He was considered a remarkably prolific painter, and was held in considerable esteem by the Knights of the Langue of Castille. Between 1763 and 1777 he was commissioned for the redecoration of the church of St James in Valletta.

The Virgin of Hope at the church of Tal-Isperanza, in Mosta, is said to be an early work of Buhagiar, while The Virgin of Consolation at the Parish Church of Ħaż-Żebbuġ, Malta is an ambitious work by him.

Besides painting Rocco Buhagiar designed church furnishings and accessories. He lived long enough to experience the turmoil of the French occupation of Malta. He was the mentor of Giuseppe Grech* before Antoine Favray.

By 1804 he moved to the convent of the  Discalced Carmelite Friars of Cospicua where he died and was buried at the Church of St Therese.

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