Synopsis
Sponsored by the Alfred Mizzi Foundation. Many may be familiar with Favray’s depiction of L’Isle Adam taking possession of Mdina. The painting, however, depicts a mere snapshot of an event that spanned a whole day and took months to prepare for. The ceremonial entry or possesso of Mdina by the Grand Master of the Order of St. John was bold and flamboyant, a show in ostentation which sought to enthral those who beheld it. Having said that, it was also an exercise in subtle political manipulation. The talk will seek to unravel the various ‘subtexts’ of this public celebration as well as explain that which it so boldly portrayed. It will delve into its development throughout the 268 years of Hospitaller rule and also examine the individual elements that were steeped in symbolic meaning. It will push open the doors into the world of ceremony in early modern Malta, the world of the Possesso Della Città Notabile.
Speaker: Dr Danielle Mallia
The Magistral Possesso of Mdina
Speaker: Dr Danielle Mallia
Cathedral Museum, Mdina
The Magistral Possesso of Mdina