A unique collection of masterpieces of Maltese modernist art is about to be auctioned off as its owner has decided to pack up and leave the country, parting with a 30-year passion that has resulted in around 250 coveted works.

Joseph Agius. Photo: Jonathan Borg

Joseph Agius, who writes about art for Times of Malta, began collecting modernist pieces in the 1990s out of boredom – and somewhat blindly – at a time when interest in this period and its artists was “close to zero”. But he was on to a good thing and now owns “one of the most inclusive and important collections” of paintings, sculptures and ceramics, including museum pieces, which will soon be available to collectors. And they have been seeking them for years.

“They will now have the opportunity to purchase these masterpieces, which no one in their right mind would sell,” Agius said.

The collection is important because it does not just focus on one artist but is widespread across the whole spectrum of Maltese modernism, a period dating from post-World War II, 1945/46, to the 2000s. Among the works by celebrated artists that are going under the hammer on November 26 are the creations of Antoine Camilleri, Raymond Pitrè, Gabriel Caruana, Emvin Cremona, Giorgio Preca, Anton Inglott, Esprit Barthet, Frans Galea, Josef Kalleya, Carmelo Mangion and Joseph Genuis.

Josef Kalleya - St Francis.

The collection includes six museum pieces by Camilleri, bought directly from the artist, Agius said. Purchased for a pittance, they could today fetch tens of thousands. But Agius admits the “investment” was “accidental”. He describes it as a “lucky break”, although an eye for art did come into play. And despite a couple of mistakes every collector makes, he admits he got it right overall.

“Initially, everyone thought I was crazy buying these pieces. I just needed something to make life worthwhile. I spent all I had on buying art in the 1990s – at a time when it was not appreciated much and there was not the huge craze of today.” Collectors started to increase at the turn of the millennium and prices shot sky high. At first, the interest was in Apap but then most of the modernist artists became sought after.

I spent all I had on buying art in the 1990s – at a time when it was not appreciated much and there was not the huge craze of today- Joseph Agius

For years, Agius has been asked to sell these pieces, which he claims everybody wanted. But he has always resisted. “It was intended to be a pension fallback. But I would have sold a piece at a time to tide us over as I retired, and not all in one go like this,” he said.

The family’s plans to relocate to Ireland by the end of 2023 have speeded up the process to be able to finance the move, find a house and settle down. “We need a change of scene, in all respects, from Malta, and we are also following my daughter Gwen to accompany her on her academic studies at the University College Cork,” Agius explained.

The draw to Ireland has also been about the need for “out-of-this-world” nature, apart from the fact that it is an English-speaking, EU country and its people are friendly. The move has been planned for the last six years and the family has been waiting for Gwen to finish her A levels. They are now turning to this major asset to uproot themselves.

When the movers came and took the paintings off the walls of their home and left it bare, lifeless and without a soul, it hit his wife, who has been more upset about giving up the whole collection, Agius said. About 60 per cent of it adorned their house and the rest had ended up in storage.

“All works are like entries in a diary for me, and I have a story associated with each one.” But while admitting the collection is “one of the best in Malta”, he is not attached and sad to let it go, content to hold onto just a couple of a pieces by Pitrè, Barthet and George Fenech for “sentimental” reasons. “I need something new now. It is time to move on after a 30-year passion. I will see what intrigues me in Ireland, but it probably will not be related to art,” he said.

The auction, to be held at Obelisk Auction House in Attard, on November 26 at 2.30pm, is being considered an “important day for people interested in art”.

The first 150 works to go under the hammer have been chosen on the basis of their importance, and the rest are scheduled for a subsequent auction. They range in price from €100 to €30,000, with pieces by Camilleri having reached a record €40,000, and while Agius only has sketches of Apap, his works could easily fetch up to €60,000.