Artist

Oratio Italo was born in Valletta, the son of Achille Serge and Marie née Cremona.

He spent most of his childhood in Xagħra, Gozo with an uncle. Several members of his family belonged to the professions, and the parents of young Oratio wished him to become a doctor, but it was art that he wanted to pursue.

Serge left for Italy where he followed a course in painting for three years. He travelled to France, where he had to face quite a number of disappointments. He left for South America where he spent some time. Later he passed to Tunisia in North Africa, and he painted several works, including the main apse of the cathedral of Sfax.

In Tunisia, Serge married Giuseppina Perrera in 1935. They came to Malta for what was supposed to be a short holiday, but instead they stayed for two years, and they lived in Senglea, and their first and only child Mariù was born.

In 1953 the Serge family decided to settle permanently in Malta, and they again spent some time in Senglea, but later moved to Paola where they continued to live.

In the early 1960s, Serge befriended the artist Giuseppe Maria Caruana, who at that time was busy with the decoration of the apse at the parish church of Żabbar. Since Caruana’s eyesight was failing him badly at the time, part of the work was in effect left in the hands of Serge.

Later Serge did further work for the parish church of Christ the King in Paola, where he painted window panes to the effect of stained glass.

For Gio Batta Delia of Valletta, Serge did several Maltese landscapes which found ready buyers at the time.

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