Leading artist dies

Antoine Camilleri, one of the most well-known local artists, has died on Wednesday aged 83.

Mr Camilleri was born in Valletta in February 1922 and studied at St Aloysius College and the Government School of Art. He completed his studies in art at the French Ecole Nationale de Beaux-Arts, in Paris in 1950.

He was also awarded scholarships by the Bath Academy of Arts in the UK and the Accademia Pietro Vannucci in Perugia.

Mr Camilleri taught art with the Education Department between 1956 and 1976, when he was appointed education officer for arts and crafts until 1979.

He was one of the founders of the artists' group Atelier '56 and of the Artists' Guild. He exhibited his works far and wide in cities such as Paris, London, Edinburgh, New York, Frankfurt and Hamburg, as well as in Libya and the Venice Biennale. Mr Camilleri experimented with various media but was most renowned for his sculptures using olive wood, bronze and other media.

His first exhibition was held in 1947. In 1996 he was awarded the Midalja ghall-Qadi tar-Repubblika.

Mr Camilleri was married to Therese née Tanti and had three sons and two daughters: Gerard, Pierre, Antoine Paul, Marielle and Marthese.