Sculptor
Little is known about Psaila’s artistic education. His early childhood was dominated by great political changes, and was born during the last months of the rule of the Knights of St John.
By 1829 Psaila had left Cospicua and settled in Floriana, and in 1839 he went to live in Birkirkara. Psaila was not the only student to attend Gerada’s studio. There were also Pietro Paolo Azzopardi and Alessandro Farrugia.
The first recorded work of Salvatore Psaila was on a Redeemer statue for the Valletta procession of Good Friday. This statue was replaced in 1889 by another statue.
In the early 1830s Psaila was commissioned by the Holy Cross confraternity of Vittoriosa to create two passion statues: the Scourging at the Pillar, and the Crowning with Thorns. Later he was commissioned by the Vittoriosa church for the statue of the Risen Christ.
The first processional statue was the statue of St Helen - the titular of Birkirkara, which was made in 1837 and was commissioned by Chev. Vincenzo Borg, known as Brared. The second important work by Psaila was Our Lady of Mount Carmel of Żurrieq. This was commissioned by the confraternity of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, which cost 402 scudi.
Other important works by Psaila includes Saint Andrew for Cospicua parish church, and the statue of the Immaculate Conception for St Francis church, Victoria, Gozo.
Psaila was also commissioned to make a marble bust of Admiral Freemantle in 1833. The High Altar of Birkirkara basilica is attributed to him. According to the historian Pietro Paolo Castagna, during his time, Psaila created about 170 monuments, made either in marble or limestone.
He married Lorenza Vella on 22 October 1829, and this marriage was blessed with five boys, Francesco, Paolo, Matteo, Tommaso and Giovanni. But the only child that survived was the eldest, Francesco.
According to P.P. Castgana, these are some of his works:
The Scourging at the Pillar and the Ecce Homo, Vittoriosa parish church (1831);
The Risen Christ, Vittoriosa parish church (1833);
Saint Helen, titular statue, Birkirkara parish church, (1837);
Our Lady of Carmel, Żurrieq parish church (1842);
St Andrew, Cospicua parish church (1844);
Immaculate Conception, St Francis church, Rabat Gozo(1848);
St Publius, Floriana (?) (1832);
Admiral Freemantle (bust in marble) (1833).
The Redeemer, (the second one), Ta’ Ġieżu church, Valletta
The Birkirkara High Altar, in marble works.
This biography is part of the collection created by Michael Schiavone over a 30-year period. Read more about Schiavone and his initiative here.