Sculptor

The son of Giuseppe Sciortino and Saveria née Sant, Antonio was born at Ħaż-Żebbuġ. Sciortino spent his childhood in his father’s fields playing with children of his age. During his school days, Sciortino was singled out for his extraordinary inclination for sculpture, and his aunt, Vittorina Sciortino, who happened to be the school headmistress, encouraged Antonio to keep carving in his spare time.  Lazzaro Pisani, another relative of Sciortino, and a well-known local painter, discovered the hidden genius and skill of this young boy, and later Sciortino enrolled as a student at the School of Art in Valletta.

After two years, Sciortino expressed his desire to go abroad to continue his training. He was awarded a scholarship by the Malta Society of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce. In 1900, at the age of twenty-two together with George Caruana he proceeded to Rome and was admitted to the Istituto Reale delle Belle Arti. After graduating in engineering and monumental architecture in 1902, he set up an arts studio in Via Margutta in Rome. Later, around 1911, he was appointed head of the British Academy in Rome. After 36 years in Rome he returned to Malta and was appointed curator and inspector of arts.

One of his earliest works, Les Gavroches, was acquired by the Malta Society of Arts, Manufactures, and Commerce, and placed at the Upper Barracca Gardens in 1907. This paved the way for international fame in Europe and America.

Sciortino’s ability was recognized when he entered a competition in Italy under a nom-de-plume. His work was chosen amongst the best four but was automatically disqualified when it was discovered that he was not an Italian citizen and that he had no right to enter the competition. Another success came in 1911 when he was awarded the first prize for his model of the equestrian monument to Czar Alexander II of Russia. Unfortunately Sciortino was again disqualified. His work was so much admired by the Czar that he was given money equivalent to the sum of the first prize. In 1929 he was awarded the second prize in a competition for the equestrian monument to General Simon Bolivar. It was no small feat, considering that there were 265 other competitors of various nationalities.

Some of Sciortino’s best works in Malta include the statue of Christ the King, erected at Floriana to commemorate the Eucharistic Congress of 1913, and the 1565 Great Siege Monument, opposite the law courts in Valletta. Another monument at the Upper Barracca is that to Lord Gerald Strickland while a bust representing Sir Adrian Dingli is to be found at the Mall, Floriana.

A great patriot, Sciortino never wanted to become an Italian citizen and sacrificed his future advancement for the love of his country.

In 1947, some months before he died in August of that year, Sciortino donated all his plaster models to the people of Malta. They were brought over from his studio in Rome and, on 14 July 1947, an exhibition of his works was inaugurated in the Armoury, Valletta.  This collection of Sciortino works is now to be found at the National Museum of Fine Arts, Valletta.

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