Vincent Apap facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Vincent Apap, OBE
|
|
|---|---|
| Ċensu Apap | |
| Born | 13 November 1909 Valletta, Malta
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| Died | 15 February 2003 (aged 93) Malta
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| Nationality | Maltese |
| Occupation | Sculptor |
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Notable work
|
Triton Fountain, and various monuments and statues |
| Style | Modernism |
| Spouse(s) |
Maria Bencini
(m. 1941) |
| Children | John Apap Nella Apap Manon Apap |
| Family | Joseph Apap (brother) William Apap (brother) |
Vincent Apap (also known as Ċensu Apap) was a famous Maltese sculptor. He was born on November 13, 1909, and passed away on February 15, 2003. He is best known for creating many public statues and church sculptures. His most famous work is the amazing Triton Fountain in Valletta, Malta. Experts have called him one of Malta's most important sculptors of the modern age.
Contents
About Vincent Apap
Early Life and Learning
Vincent Apap was born in Valletta in 1909. He had two brothers who also became artists: Joseph Apap, a musician, and William Apap, a painter. Vincent started learning about art at a young age. In 1920, when he was just 11, he began taking evening classes in drawing and making models.
In 1925, he was one of the first students to join the new School of Art. There, he studied sculpture with a teacher named Antonio Micallef. Vincent was very talented. In 1927, he won a special scholarship to study at the British Academy of Arts in Rome. He learned from another famous Maltese sculptor, Antonio Sciortino, while he was there.
Starting His Career
Vincent Apap came back to Malta in 1930. Soon after, he got his first big job: creating the Fra Diego monument in Ħamrun. This project made him well-known in the art world in Malta. Throughout the 1930s, he often showed his sculptures at art exhibitions.
In 1934, he became an assistant teacher at the School of Art. He later became the head of the school in 1947. He worked there until he retired in 1971. However, he was asked to come back to teach again in 1978.
Famous Works and Recognition
Many important people admired Vincent Apap's work. These included Sir Harry Luke, who was a high-ranking official in Malta, and Lord Mountbatten. Lord Mountbatten's family still owns some of Apap's best sculptures today. In the 1960s, Vincent and his brother William even had two art shows in London.
Vincent Apap created many famous public monuments in Valletta. These include:
- The Triton Fountain (finished in 1959)
- A bust (a sculpture of a head and shoulders) of Enrico Mizzi (1964)
- The statue of Paul Boffa (1976)
- The statue of George Borg Olivier (1990)
He also made many beautiful statues for churches across Malta and Gozo. Some of these can be found in the Rotunda of Mosta, the Church of St. Augustine in Valletta, the Mdina Cathedral, and St. George's Basilica in Gozo. His last major work was a bust of Guido de Marco, which he finished when he was 89 years old.
Family Life
Vincent Apap married Maria Bencini in 1941. They had three children named John, Nella, and Manon. Vincent Apap lived a long and creative life, passing away in 2003 at the age of 93.
Awards and Honours
Vincent Apap received several important awards for his contributions to art:
- Officer of the Order of the British Empire (1956)
- Gold medal from the Society of Arts, Manufacture and Commerce (1965)
- Cavaliere Ufficiale Repubblica Italiana (1968)
- Order of Merit (1993)
He was also made a knight of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta in 1963.
