After World War II, Malta faced severe economic and physical devastation. Parliament allocated £10,000,000 for post-war restoration, assuring additional support from the UK government if needed.

Sir Wilfrid Woods (1906-1975) conducted a comprehensive survey, leading to a decision in 1946 to provide further assistance. This assistance was to be a fixed sum rather than instalments, to avoid excessive Treasury control and friction between the governments.

The £20,000,000 contribution was designated as a direct charge against the Consolidated Fund, with payments beginning after the initial £10,000,000 was exhausted, and expenditures monitored through audited statements presented by Maltese ministers.

In October 1949, parliament approved an additional £50,000 for the Kingsgate bus terminus project, originally budgeted at £92,000. During the parliamentary session on October 25, Prime Minister Enrico Mizzi (1885-1950) addressed Marshall Aid.

The following Thursday, Dr Giuseppe Pace (d. 1974), secretary of the Democratic Action Party, criticised the government’s decision to prioritise the reconstruction of the Cottonera district after the war, which he claimed resulted in neglecting Valletta. He commended the Kingsgate bus terminus project for improving the approach to the capital and attracting tourists, underscoring its significance to Malta’s interests, stating: “…visitors would not come to Malta to admire demolished buildings and undeveloped areas”.

Under the Mizzi government’s leadership, the bus terminus project progressed, based on designs developed by Messrs Harrison and Hubbard in 1946-47. These designs, created by town-planning consultants after meticulous research and consultation with traffic authorities, aimed to address transportation needs effectively.

The model of the Kingsgate Bus Terminus made by C. Buhagiar and R. Calleja of the Reconstruction Section of the Public Works Department published on the Times of Malta, January 29, 1950.

The public debut of the Kingsgate bus terminus model occurred on January 20, 1950. Crafted by C. Buhagiar and R. Calleja from the Reconstruction Section of the Public Works Department, the unveiling (in a shop window) aimed to address criticism and provide a tangible representation of the planned improvements. The model aimed to clarify how the terminus would rectify the then-current unsatisfactory arrangements.

Until the late 1940s, extensive discussions and reports centred on the Kingsgate terminus project, primarily addressing traffic management and the pressing need for a bus terminus. However, in January 1952, attention turned to the heart of the grand roundabout, the project’s focal point. The question arose: “To adorn or not to adorn?”

Further complexity evolved with the proposal of a fountain project. Additionally, there was mention of a four-faced clock, suggested to “stand in stark contrast to the city’s ancient bastions, symbolising our modern era of speed and daring driving”.

In May 1952, the roundabout remained unchanged, serving as a large flower planter. When the flowers bloomed, they undoubtedly enhanced the spot’s beauty. By August of the same year, uncertainty persisted regarding the roundabout’s future. However, it was noted that if the authorities opted for a fountain, all necessary piping was already in place.

In December 1952, the Kingsgate terminus neared its final stages of construction. With the concrete shelters nearly finished and a dozen small kiosks ready to serve as ticket booths, tobacconists and other shops, progress was evident. Confident reports indicated improvements to the roundabout, with plans proceeding for the installation of a decorative fountain.

Additionally, information regarding a forthcoming competition to select the best design was set to be released soon. Indeed, on January 6, 1953, the Kingsgate Roundabout Project Competition for Fountain Designs was officially initiated. The minister for works and reconstruction extended an invitation to individuals with creative ideas to submit their designs for the construction of a water fountain at the designated location.

A panel, presided over by the minister-in-charge and consisting of the director of public works, a representative from the Chamber of Architects, the professor of architecture from the Royal University of Malta, and the director of the museum, was tasked with adjudicating the designs. Their decision was conclusive, with the winning design awarded a prize of £100, the second-place design receiving £50 and the third-place design receiving £25. Subsequently, all designs were publicly exhibited, and those securing the top three positions were designated as the exclusive property of the government.

The winning design, known as ‘Triton’ and attributed to Maltese sculptor Vincent Apap (1909-2003), was submitted in collaboration with Victor Anastasi (1913-1992), who contributed to the technical and architectural planning.

In an article published in The Times of Malta on April 21, 1953, an art correspondent remarked: “There can be no questioning the opinion of the adjudicating board that Apap’s design merited the first prize for its simplicity, effectiveness, and artistic merit.”

The reporter noted that the other exhibits were disappointing, describing most of them as “badly designed, antiquated in outlook, and in doubtful taste”. However, one of the designs that was unplaced attracted considerable attention and favourable comments from the public. It was signed with the pseudonym ‘Ars’ and featured a fountain alongside a historical monument adorned with a sculpted frieze depicting the history of Valletta from the arrival of the Knights of St John to its reconstruction after World War II.

The correspondent based his arguments on the absence of adjudication for the ‘Ars’ fountain, citing concerns related to traffic management and hypothesising that its shape and size would create a blind spot.

His quick response to the published critique subtly hints at his sense of missed opportunity

Unbeknownst to him, the entrant in the Kingsgate Fountain Competition under the pseudonym ‘Ars’ was Emvin Cremona (1919-1987). On May 1, 1953, Cremona addressed this issue in a published letter to the editor, questioning why The Times of Malta’s art correspondent assumed that his design was unplaced for the reasons mentioned. Cremona clarified that his artistic vision aimed to create a fountain that would stand as a monument, even without water. He envisioned a substantial structure that would complement the impressive bastions in the background and the enhanced Kingsgate upon proper restoration. He described it as a symbol of Malta’s illustrious history, and its vertical design would alleviate the otherwise monotonous flatness of the area.

According to available documentation, Cremona submitted three distinct designs for the fountain project. While two of them share a similar concept, the third one reflects the previously mentioned notion of a monument integrating clocks as a vertical representation of time, towering over the circular piazza.

Proposal 1 for the Kingsgate Bus Terminus Fountain Project, rendered in watercolour and gouache on cardboard, created by Emvin Cremona under the pseudonym “Ars”. Image courtesy of Muża

Proposal 2 for the Kingsgate Bus Terminus Fountain Project, rendered in watercolour and gouache on cardboard, created by Emvin Cremona under the pseudonym “Ars”. Image courtesy of Muża

Proposal 3 for the Kingsgate Bus Terminus Fountain Project, rendered in watercolour and gouache on cardboard, created by Emvin Cremona under the pseudonym “Ars”. Image courtesy of Muża

During this period, Cremona, an esteemed figure in Malta’s art community, refrained from directing criticism towards Apap, reciprocating the mutual respect characteristic of the artistic camaraderie among Maltese artists of the era. Nonetheless, his quick response to the published critique subtly hints at his sense of missed opportunity.

Following a two-year pause, construction on the fountain started in 1955, culminating in its inauguration on May 16, 1959. Concurrently, Cremona assumed a prominent role, overseeing all external embellishments and organising the Pauline Exhibition as part of the centenary festivities.

Artistically, his influence extended throughout the streets of Valletta and Floriana, his style mirroring the evolving socio-political and religious zeitgeist of the era.

Emvin Cremona's initial sketch of the De La Salle Monument from the early 1960s, illustrating the first two stages of the proposal: a fully three-dimensional statue, and a raised relief depicting the saint on a stele. Image courtesy of La Salle Malta

Amid the hype, during the early 1960s, Cremona seized the chance to immortalise his artistic brilliance through another imposing monument, this time at the hands of the Brothers of the Christian Schools in Malta (De La Salle Brothers) who unanimously decided, during an extraordinary meeting on June 17, 1962, to approach the artist and commission him for the project. Wasting no time, Cremona swiftly crafted sketches for a monument destined for the Tal-Ħawli area, situated at the heart of De La Salle College overlooking the Cottonera district.

Back in 1951, to commemorate the third centenary of their founder, St John Baptist De La Salle, the De La Salle Order in Malta initiated celebrations. College students, preparing to enter the Dockyard, proposed a fitting tribute by donating their first weekly salary towards a statue honouring the patron saint of educators, contingent upon their success in the Dockyard entrance examination. The proposal gained widespread approval, leading to approximately 450 grateful Dockyard apprentices generously contributing £860 to a dedicated fund between 1951 and 1959.

Superior General Brother Charles Henry Buttimer, FSC, unveiling in 1967 the monument honouring St John Baptist De La Salle, founder of the Brothers of the Christian Schools created by Emvin Cremona.

Recently obtained original drawings from La Salle Malta indicate Cremona’s initial concept of a fully sculpted, life-sized monument gracefully positioned on a cylindrical pedestal adorned with a bas-relief frieze encircling its circumference.

Due to financial constraints, the artist revisited the design, repurposing the monument to accommodate a high-relief sculpture of the saint. Once again, facing budgetary considerations, Cremona’s vision had to be modified, eventually drawing from the original concepts proposed a decade earlier for the Kingsgate Fountain Project. These adjustments aimed to align with the Brothers’ financial capabilities while still realising the artist’s aspirations stemming from a previously missed opportunity.

Instead of adhering to a conventional frieze, reminiscent of his ambitious fountain monument and the grandeur he fervently articulated in his 1953 letter to the editor, Cremona opted to portray the Lasallian founder through a dynamic mosaic cascading the entire height of a 10.6-metre concrete stele. Crafted with approximately 100,000 tesserae meticulously arranged, this masterpiece harmonises a spectrum of 120 vibrant and diverse hues.

Emvin Cremona’s De La Salle monument standing at De La Salle College in Vittoriosa.

Remarkably, this captivating creation persists in enchanting and uplifting all who encounter it, bestowing upon observers an enduring sense of wonder and reverence.

Hilary Spiteri is an art historian and educator.