FIRST March 2023

TRIBUTE A HERO AMONGST US

Great people of great Ukraine! Today is a great holiday. And I’m in a great place. The Great St. Sophia Cathedral. In the cathedral, which was founded a thousand years ago, on the field of the sacred battle where the army of Kyivan Rus’-Ukraine defeated the Pechenegs. In the cathedral, which was not destroyed by the Horde invasion or the Nazi occupation, which withstood in spite of everything! Today we all believe in a new victory for Ukraine. And we are all convinced that we will not be destroyed by any horde or evil. We are enduring dark times. And on this bright day, most of us are not in bright clothes. But we are fighting for a bright idea. On the bright side. And the truth, people, the Lord and the holy heavenly light are on our side. The power of the patron saint of the human race –Oranta. She is above me. She is above us all. The unshakable pillar of the Church of Christ, the unbreakable wall of the main stronghold –Kyiv, the Unbreakable Wall of the State. As long as there is Oranta, there is Sophia, and Kyiv stands with her, and the whole of Ukraine stands with them! Above the image of Oranta are the words from the Psalms: “God dwells in that city; it cannot be destroyed. From the very break of day, God will protect it.” On this Great Day, we all believe that our dawn is coming soon. Oranta in Latin means “one who prays”. We have all been praying for the last two months. And in the Resurrection of Christ, which symbolizes the great victory of life over death, each of us asks the Lord for one thing. And speaks the same words to heaven. The words of a great and united prayer. Great and Only God! Save our Ukraine!

(Extracted from Easter congratulations by President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy, 24 April 2022.)

Johannes Vermeer, Girl with the Red Hat, 1664-67, National Gallery of Art, Washington.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Photography taken from the photostream of the President of Ukraine, FLICKR.

“Life will win over death, and light will win over darkness.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy

EXCLUSIVE SERIES: THIS IS WINE. The Brunello Generation II. Vitaleta Chapel, San Quirico d’Orcia. Photography Kristof van Rentergem.

LA DOLCE VITA. London. Inside Chelsea’s iconic Cadogan, A Belmond Hotel –Oscar Wilde’s famous haunt. Photography © Belmond/Mattia Aquila.

Iconic Maltese Modernist Artists. Pawl Carbonaro, Abstract Landscape, 2012, 56 x 43cm, oil on canvas. Photograph courtesy Kite Group.

SONY WORLD PHOTOGRAPHY AWARDS 2023. Afghanistan’s Girl Athletes.Copyright: © Ebrahim Noroozi, Iran, Islamic Republic Of, Finalist, Professional competition, Portraiture, Sony World Photography Awards 2023.

. Photography Anna Kucera courtesy Sydney WorldPride. Ben Graetz as Miss Ellaneous.

Health&Fitness. HOW TO GET IN SHAPE SUCCESSFULLY. Photography Chris Barbalis.

BLOCKBUSTER VERMEER. The Landmark Exhibition. Girl with a Pearl Earring, Johannes Vermeer. Mauritshuis, The Hague.

JUST DESSERTS. Easter Weekend Dessert Ideas. Photography Heather Barnes.

This page: This penthouse at The Cadogan enjoys iconic top-floor scenery. Photograph © Belmond/ Mattia Aquila.

BELMOND CADOGAN HOTEL

Oscar Wilde’s Chelsea Haunt

The Cadogan first opened as a hotel in 1887, nestled within the 93-acre Cadogan Estate, and from the outset attracted creatives and glitterati. Indeed the hotel has a storied past full of glamour, intrigue and at times, scandal. The Cadogan has always played host to London’s most fashionable guests, most notably, the socialite and actress, Lillie Langtry who lived in the hotel where she famously met and entertained the Prince of Wales and became friends with the legendary and flamboyant Irish Playwright and author Oscar Wilde. The Cadogan is best known as where, in 1895, the police arrested Wilde on charges of “gross indecency”. Nearly a century later in the 1980s, supermodels would seek sanctuary at The Cadogan, far from the prying eyes of the media and comforted by endless cups of English Breakfast Tea. In 2019 The Cadogan, a Belmond hotel, reopened its doors following a multi-million-pound historic, nearly five-year, renovation. 75 Sloane Street, an address rich in heritage, has played host to socialites, artists and aristocrats throughout history and the reopening set the stage for a new ‘cast’ of guests to play their part.

Photography courtesy Belmond.

“I have the simplest of tastes. I am always satisfied with the best.”

Oscar Wilde

page: Guest area inside The Cadogan. Photograph © Belmond/ Mattia Aquila.

The Cadogan Estate covers 93 acres of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, including residential properties, offices and retail space, and has been under the same family ownership for almost 300 years. The Foundations of the Estate were established in 1717 when Charles, second Baron Cadogan, married Elizabeth Sloane, daughter of Sir Hans Sloane, having purchased the Manor of Chelsea in 1712. This part of London has remained under the stewardship of the Cadogan family ever since.

The company owes its origins to Sir Hans Sloane, a renowned society physician, naturalist, and collector, who purchased the Manor of Chelsea to house his collection of over 70,000 items, including books, coins, medals and drawings –he would bequeath the collection to the British nation, providing the foundation of the British Museum, the British Library, and the Natural History Museum, London. Sloane died without any male heirs, leaving his estate to two daughters.

In 1777, Charles Sloane Cadogan – then Earl Cadogan – granted a lease to architect Henry Holland to create the first-ever purpose-built new town. “Hans Town” provided attractive Georgian terraced houses to people of moderately affluent means. As London swelled during the industrial age, the 5th Earl Cadogan, George Henry Cadogan, decided on a comprehensive redevelopment. He commissioned cutting-edge architecture and a new red-brick style that became synonymous with the area: Pont Street Dutch. In 1868 Sloane Square Station opened followed by the completion of the riverside embankment in 1874.

Above: The Hotel Bar –the chairs upholstered in purple, referencing Oscar Wilde’s smoking jackets. Photograph © Belmond/ Helen Cathcart. Above and below right: Cadogan’s tea lounge –perfect for an afternoon tea. Photograph © Belmond/ Helen Cathcart.

From 1877 to 1900 much of the modern Estate took shape. Cadogan Square – the “jewel in the crown” of the new development – the Royal Court Theatre at Sloane Square and Hotel Trinity Church on Sloane Street were built under the 5th Earl’s auspices. Chelsea has a bohemian history and has long been a haven for artists, authors, musicians and designers from Dante Gabriel Rossetti to The Rolling Stones and Vivienne Westwood. Jane Austen stayed in Sloane Street with her brother Henry whilst writing Pride and Prejudice, and poet and writer Oscar Wilde called the borough his home.

In 1887 The Cadogan Hotel opened and instantly attracted London’s most fashionable guests. While living in the hotel the socialite and actress, Lillie Langtry famously met and entertained her lover the Prince of Wales and became friends with Oscar Wilde. In 1895 Wilde was arrested at the Cadogan on charges of “gross indecency” and taken custody in room 118. Now part of the Royal Suite, step inside and you’ll spot that the bedroom is marked 118.

Above: The inviting bar at The Cadogan takes you back to the early 20th century. Photograph © Belmond/ Martin Scott Powell. Left: Artwork fills spaces inside The Cadogan. Here in this staircase artwork by Lisa Krannichfeld. Photograph © Belmond/ Helen Cathcart.

Today The Cadogan celebrates British culture, design and quirky eccentricity. The hotel’s 54 rooms and suites provide a stylish retreat in the heart of the city, with spacious rooms that are a little ‘house’ in themselves; many have views over Cadogan Place Gardens and offer spacious living rooms with working fireplaces and dining areas as well as large bathrooms with deep freestanding baths and a specially designed champagne and book holder for relaxation. With private access to the hotel through 21 Pont Street – the private entrance marks the former home of Lillie Langtry – and a key to Cadogan Place Gardens, guests of the hotel can truly feel like a Chelsea resident.

Top left: Penthouse living room. Photograph © Belmond/ Helen Cathcart.

Top right: Living room inside a Deluxe Junior Suite. Photograph © Belmond/ Mattia Aquila. Left: Inside the Penthouse at The Cadogan. Photograph © Belmond/ Mattia Aquila. Above: Views from the Penthouse at The Cadogan across Cadogan Place Gardens and London’s iconic skyline. Photograph © Belmond/ Mattia Aquila.

Chelsea is a hive of artistic endeavour; it is home to major institutions of contemporary theatre, art and music. The hotel reopened with over 400 pieces of original artworks by predominantly British artists including a painting by Simon Casson, taking pride of place in the hotel lobby and depicting the history of Cadogan Estates. Five female British Artists were also commissioned to create statement artwork in the guest rooms, inspired by the botanicals in the private gardens. Indeed the scene is set for a dramatic entrance

through the grand doors off Sloane Street, past the roaring fireplace and up the sweeping staircase, through the bronze cast of 600 books, to the rooms and suites. A truly British residence, every detail of the hotel weaves the past together with the present; carefully placed antique artefacts sit alongside commissioned modern art and bespoke, handcrafted furnishings. Today, The Cadogan’s stylish house staff, dressed in uniforms inspired by 1960s King’s Road fashion, greet guests through the doors off Sloane Street, inviting them in for a piping hot cup of tea, keeping fashionable traditions alive.

ABOUT BELMOND: Belmond has been a pioneer of luxury travel for over 45 years with a portfolio of one-of-a-kind experiences in some of the world’s most inspiring destinations. Since the acquisition of the iconic Hotel Cipriani in Venice in 1976, Belmond has continued to perpetuate the legendary art of travel. Its portfolio extends across 24 countries with properties that include the illustrious Venice Simplon-OrientExpress train and Italian hideaways such as The Grand Hotel Timeo in Taormina.

Top: A plush king-size bed in a Junior Suite, with hardwood floors, marble bathrooms and wonderful city views. Photograph © Belmond/ Martin Scott Powell. Above left: The Royal Suite has one of the most dramatic histories. The bedroom is marked 118 – the famed room where Oscar Wilde was arrested. Today the suite honours this past while offering every modern indulgence; from the expansive marble bathroom and immaculate living room to the inviting dining space. High ceilings frame the fireplace, while views of Cadogan Place Gardens from the bathtub enchant. Photograph © Belmond/ Helen Cathcart. Above right: A Deluxe Room. Photograph © Belmond/ Helen Cathcart.

A COLLECTOR’S VOICE

25 Modernist Artists

"My viewpoints as regards local art are known to those who know me well. I have often gone against the grain and dethroned the accepted market leaders of the day. I ascertain and fully believe that five of these 25 artists are the pure innovators of Maltese modernism, (and two of them the absolute originals). However, I do not intend to reveal names in this book as it’s not my autobiography", writes art collector Joseph Agius in the introduction to his book 25 Modernist Artists, published by Kite Group. An exploration of modern art in Malta, the lavishly illustrated book provides a 360-degree view of the profiles of artists who helped shape Maltese modernism, fusing it into the fabric of our centuries-old artistic tradition and making it, in Schiele’s words, “eternal”. Photography courtesy Kite Group.

“Art cannot be modern. Art is primordially eternal.”

Egon Schiele

“Back in the early 1990’s, I wouldn’t have wagered one cent that one evening in November 30 years later, a book authored by me on Maltese modernist art would be officially launched. The foundations for 25 Modernist Artists lie in those years in which I was still under the effect of the preceding decade, one that had begun with high expectations and ended with dark disappointment. Although I tried to find escape from this predicament through voracious reading and listening to music, I felt that there was much that was missing in my life in the form of a passion, a new direction.

November 1992 was indeed an auspicious month as a friend of mine invited me to a collective exhibition of ceramics in which she was participating. It was here that the embers of a new interest were ignited, which fed on a flaw in my character that has its origins in my late father’s side of the family – that of being hoarders and collectors.

Top left: Carmelo Mangion, Deposition, 30 x 24cm, oil on cardboard.

Left: Giorgio Preca, Still Life with White Dove, 50 x 70cm, oil on canvas.

Above: Victor Diacono, Nativity, 55 x 26cm, patinated plaster.

Istarted buying art as if there was no tomorrow, visiting the studios of Gabriel Caruana, Raymond Pitrè, Antoine Camilleri and other artists all in the space of months; thereafter, my collection went from strength to strength. All three artists became great friends, sharing anecdotes on the local art scene, their likes and dislikes, and stories about the origins of modernism in Malta. It was an eye-opening spate of years for me as I travelled abroad extensively, taking in all that I could as regards the international art scene.

Last November as well, I started the process of giving up my prized possessions through an auction at Obelisk Gallery, Attard, as, like 30 years ago, I feel the need to move on, to follow new paths, to discover new itineraries, to let go of the past. Each of these pieces in my collection is an entry in my biography, evoking memories of friendships and of friends who are no more.

Above: Pawl Carbonaro, Ta’ Ċenċ Cliffs, 60 x 42cm, oil on canvas. Left: Gabriel Caruana, Self-portrait, 2015 21.5 x 28.5cm, felt pen on paper.

A COMPLETE RANGE OF MULTI-AWARDED PRODUCTS THAT RESPECTS THE PHYSIOLOGYOF INFANT SKIN.

WITH ONLY THE FINEST PHARMACEUTICAL-GRADE INGREDIENTS TO ENSURE SAFETY AND QUALITY. DERMATOLOGICALLY AND OPHTALMOLOGICALLY TESTED.

Available from all leading Pharmacies.

This page: Willie Apap, The Descent from the Cross, 1964, 120 x 162cm, oil on canvas.

The embers of these writings that eventually were to be the basis of 25 Modernist Artists were originally kindled for a Maltese artrelated Facebook page I administer. In 2014, I realised that the literature available on the protagonists of Maltese modernism didn’t address and satisfy the local collector’s and art aficionado’s thirst for concise information on particular artists; knowledge that could honestly reflect a collector’s tastes and that could offer alternative views to those of an art historian or an art critic.

It could be a result of my formal education that I was never one to take an officially accepted opinion as bible truth; I always treated mainstream ideas with a lot of skepticism. I valued and still value others’ opinions but relied more on my personal gut, (and informed), feeling as a collector.

I must not fail to mention that these articles were also based on long-term friendships and discussions with some of the artists featured in this publication. These conversations occurred mostly during the last eight years of the 20th century; anecdotes were shared, describing in detail decades-old events that involved these same artists and their colleagues, amid a trail of animosities, mutual likes and dislikes, and life-long friendships.

While penning these articles for Times of Malta for a series entitled 20thcentury artists who shaped Maltese Modernism, on which most of these essays are based, I tried to keep my ‘bias’ in check to offer the readers a balanced view.

The reader might ask: why these 25 artists? This publication is already hefty as it is. Besides, 22 of these artists were featured in the original series and another two in interviews I had conducted on behalf of the same newspaper. The Toni Pace essay is the only one written specifically for this publication. It follows that there might be space for the writing of a sequel to this publication to include other worthy Maltese artists.

It was decided, together with Kite’s Gordon Pisani and editor Patrick Galea, that in an attempt to create a loose timeline, a chronological, rather than an alphabetical, order was to be followed – so Josef Kalleya, the oldest of the artists portrayed, features first and Pawl Carbonaro, the youngest, features last. In this way, a sequence and an indication of the dynamics involved in the development of Maltese Modernism could be deciphered. Thus, an unintended and, therefore, fluid cross-reference also occurs organically.

Top left: Antoine Camilleri, Annunciation, 2001, 45 x 60cm, incised clay and colour on panel.

Left: Richard England, Manikata, 22 x 18cm, pen and oil pastel.

Acommon denominator that runs through in the choice of artists is that despite a strict academic training that generally didn’t allow transgressions in favour of then current international modernist thought, most of these pioneers had transcended this, some of them after much personal upheaval and studies away from these shores, and they eventually managed to broaden their perspectives. These enterprising innovators delivered our country from the boredom of insularity and opened the vistas to the possibilities of change and transformation, amid even the most revolutionary and ‘heretic’ of all discourses.

It was very difficult to choose which artworks to go for, as the quality found in private collections is indeed of the highest level. This new photographic documentation might aid the public to reevaluate and re-think the relativity of artistic pre-eminence as regards our country’s modernism, and to redefine the notion of what constitutes artistic originality, especially in the milieu of 20th-century international art. Our island’s insularity might have somehow obscured the bigger picture, especially the European and the North American one. I hope that 25 Modernist Artists will go some way in addressing this.”

25 Modernist Artists, by Joseph Agius. Editor Patrick Galea. Foreword by Maria Cassar. 336pages, hardback, published by Kite Group,www.kitegroup.com.mt

Above: Raymond Pitre, Splash, 80 x 120cm, oil on canvas.

“But I think it’s important for people to remember that there was a time when being gay was a dangerous thing in America, and back in those days, you could be arrested, beaten, tortured, abused, killed even. And even for my friend Christopher Flynn, who was the first person that I knew was gay that I ever met growing up in Michigan, I think about how difficult life must have been for him growing up, to have to hide everything, and to not be who you are, and to fear for your life, and to be bullied. It’s important for me that people recognize how far we’ve come and how lucky we are.”

Madonna

WORLDPRIDE AND EUROPRIDE

InterPride was founded by Marsha H Levine and the National Association of Lesbian and Gay Pride Coordinators (USA) in 1982, and has grown into a global network of over 400 LGBTQIA+ member organisations from over 70 counties. It is the international organization that advances the Pride movement by coordinating with global partners. WorldPride is a global LGBTQIA+ festival that has been staged since 2000, with cities competing to host the event. WorldPride aims to promote and advocate for LGBTQIA+ human rights around the world. The right to host it is licensed by InterPride which has representatives from nearly every Pride organisation around the world. The first WorldPride took place in Rome in July 2000, followed by Jerusalem in 2006, London in 2012, Toronto in 2014, Madrid in 2017, New York in 2019, and Copenhagen in 2021. Host cities continue to be selected by the members of InterPride with WorldPrides usually held every two to three years. In 2019, Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras was successful in winning the bid to host this year’s WorldPride in Sydney, having competed against Houston, USA and Montreal, Canada. Photography courtesy Sydney WorldPride 2023.

This page: Sydney WorldPride, Ben Graetz as Miss Ellaneous. Photography Anna Kucera.

In 1982, the National Association of Lesbian and Gay Pride Coordinators was formed in Boston, USA, with an initial membership of six USA Pride organizers. The organization was originally known as the National Association of Lesbian/Gay Pride Coordinators (NAL/GPC), before changing the name to International Association of Lesbian/Gay Pride Coordinators (IAL/GPC) in October 1985, then to International Association of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Pride Coordinators at the conference in West Hollywood, California, and eventually to InterPride in the late 1990s. Over time membership grew to include Pride organizers around the world and in 2021, membership totaled over 300 organizations from more than 60 countries. This growth has been matched by increasing diversity of membership. Since 2015, non-North American members have grown from 21% to 49%. This trend primarily reflects increased participation from Oceania and Global South (Africa, Asia, and South America), with Pride gaining a presence in locations where it was previously absent or underdeveloped. There has also been significant growth in structures that gather Pride organizers together at a national or international level.

At the 16th annual conference of InterPride, held in New York in October 1997, InterPride’s membership voted to establish the “WorldPride” title and awarded the inaugural WorldPride to be held in Rome in July 2000. The event was put on by the Italian gay rights group Mario Mieli along with InterPride, and 250,000 people joined in the march to the Colosseum and the Circus Maximus. It was one of the biggest crowds to gather in Rome for decades, and among the scheduled events were conferences, a fashion show, a large parade, and a concert featuring Gloria Gaynor, The Village People, RuPaul, and Geri Halliwell.

The next WorldPrides would be held in Jerusalem in2006, London in 2012, in Toronto in 2014, and in Madrid in 2017.

In 2019, New York and the world celebrated the largest international Pride celebration in history: Stonewall 50 –WorldPride NYC 2019, produced by Heritage of Pride and commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall uprising, with five million people attending in Manhattan for Pride weekend alone. The event was held in conjunction with Stonewall 50, a celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising of June 28, 1969, which occurred in New York City’s Greenwich Village neighborhood, an event widely considered to mark the start of the modern Gay Rights Movement (now more commonly referred to as the fight for LGBTQIA+ rights).

In August 2021, for the first time, WorldPride was held in two cities in two countries –Copenhagen in Denmark, and neighbouring Malmö in Sweden. This coincided with two LGBTQ anniversaries: seventy years since the world’s first successful genital reconstructive surgery in Denmark in 1951; and fifty years after Gay Liberation Front’s Danish chapter was founded in 1971. The Crown Princess of Denmark was the patron of the event, making her the first ever royal to serve as patron for a major LGBTQ event.

Above: Luna Park. Photography Vincent Rommelaere @australiaunseen. Below: Render of the Sydney Opera House lit up with a Progress Pride Flag to mark the start of Sydney WorldPride.

In October 2019 InterPride chose Sydney, Australia, to host WorldPride 2023, the first time WorldPride was to be held in the Southern Hemisphere or Asia Pacific region. Sydney WorldPride 2023 was held this February 17th to March 5th, in line with the traditional timing of the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras and in the heart of the Australian summer. It coincided with the 50th Anniversary of the first Australian Gay Pride Week, the 45th Anniversary of the first Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras and the 5th Anniversary of same-sex marriage in Australia. According to the bid document, the stated objective of WorldPride Sydney 2023 was to celebrate the diversity of culture and identity in the Asia Pacific region, shine an international spotlight on First Nations culture, and draw attention to LGBTIQ+ human rights abuses.

EuroPride 2023

EuroPride is a pan-European international LGBTI event featuring a Pride parade, hosted by a different European city each year. The EuroPride licence is owned by European Pride Organisers Association (EPOA), an umbrella organisation for European Pride organisers. (In comparison, WorldPride organised by InterPride, of which EPOA is a part, is an international Pride event that promotes LGBTI issues on an global level). EuroPride was first celebrated in London in 1992, attended by estimated crowds of over 100,000. Since then it has continued to grow both in number of participants and political significance, though not always at the same time. In 1997 in Paris over 300,000 people marched to the Bastille. In 2011 around one million people attended Pride festivities in Rome by the Coliseum. Some smaller-scale EuroPrides have also taken place, such as in Warsaw, Poland, where 10,000 people braved the streets of still conservative ex-communist country to hold an important political demonstration that proved to be a turning point for LGBT rights in Poland. In 2015, EuroPride took place in Riga, Latvia, the first time in a former Soviet country, and in 2022 it took place in Belgrade, Serbia, the first time in south-eastern Europe. This year EuroPride 2023 will take place September 7-17 in Malta. In October 2020 three bids went forward to a EPOA vote at the Annual General Meeting and Malta Pride won the bid with 54% of the votes, versus Belfast Pride 29% and Rotterdam Pride 18%. “Having anti-discrimination laws introduced in the Maltese Constitution in 2014 was unquestionably one high point in the development of equality for the LGBTIQ+ Community in Malta. But many more changes have been achieved and it’s no surprise that since October 2015, ILGA-Europe ranked Malta first place in its annual review of the human rights situation of LGBTIQ+ people in Europe since 2016”, wrote Malta Pride in the EuroPride 2023 application and bid book. “According to the 10th ILGA-Europe benchmark, Rainbow Europe 2020, Malta by far offers the best situation to its LGBTIQ+ Community with regards to human rights and full equality when compared to other European countries where ‘decline is indeed clearly noticeable’, Malta has ranked first since 2016. For sure, it has been a long journey... Malta became independent in 1964, but it still took until 1973 before the Government decriminalised male homosexuality and harmonised age of consent... Since then, several important milestones were reached that brought Malta’s LGBTIQ+ rights up to the highest standards.”

Above: Coogee Rainbow. Photography Vincent Rommelaere @australiaunseen.

“Worry about becoming a human being and not about how you can prevent others from enjoying their lives because of your own inability to adjust to life.”

Harvey Milk

CHANEL MAKEUP

THE SPRING-SUMMER 2023 COLLECTION

The Definition of Red THE NEW FACE OF VIBRANT COLOUR

What if red could talk? CHANEL is giving it the floor with its SPRING-SUMMER 2023 COLLECTION, for flushed cheeks and warmth that extends all the way to the temples. A brilliantly energetic line that transforms the eyes into a smoldering gaze and makes the lips deliciously sensual, breaking from tradition and pushing the boundaries of its versatility.

Photography CHANEL.

That is especially evident in LES 4 ROUGES YEUX ET JOUES, two unmistakably shaped palettes, adapted to an oversize format to mark the occasion. Each features a colour harmony of four matte and satin shades, which can be used to experiment with a variety of subtle and intense looks that satisfy your every whim. One hue acts as a common thread, a hidden link that connects two creations featuring brand-new shades: a matte sienna red that gives rise to even more makeup combinations and effects. The palettes’ red shades - which can be applied just on the cheeks, like a blush or highlighter; on the eyes, like an eyeshadow or eyeliner, to add warmth or create definition; all the way out to the temples as a halo of colour; and anywhere else you desire - are perfectly suited for mixing and matching, and lend themselves to even more hues when blended. Sienna red and warm rosewood, peach and rose gold highlighter, rosy beige and “tomette” tile red: luminous, sheer, and vibrant all at once, these red shades, hovering “between two emotions,” can be both strong and subtle, allowing for striking as well as more subdued makeup looks. Buildable, blendable, and easy to use, the palettes can also be paired with

BAUME ESSENTIEL Rouge Frais, which accentuates the cheeks with a fresh and radiant healthy glow. To intensify the eyes, CHANEL has added LE LINER DE CHANEL in Rouge Noir and STYLO YEUX WATERPROOF in Or Rose. CHANEL has created a Rouge Grenat shade of the new NOIR ALLURE mascara, designed to coat the lashes, as the finishing touch on a bold red smokey eye, or be applied only to the tips and paired with a touch of black for an iconic two-tone look.

Red rises to a crescendo on the lips with ROUGE ALLURE VELVET: soft mauve beige, delicate dusty orange, deep sienna red, and iconic and bold dusty red. Nail polish in Watermelon and Rouge Cuir complete the collection. Expanding the possibilities for the colour red and putting the finishing touch on one’s ever-elegant allure, the SPRING-SUMMER 2023 COLLECTION comes out as a strong proponent for free and uninhibited femininity. Along with the new shades of ROUGE ALLURE VELVET, it reaffirms Gabrielle Chanel’s beliefs and renews her pledge to give women freedom of movement and independence.

Chanel is distributed by Alfred Gera & Sons Ltd.

SONY WORLD PHOTOGRAPHY AWARDS 2023

REVEALING IMAGES

Produced by the World Photography Organisation, the internationally acclaimed Sony World Photography Awards is one of the most important fixtures in the global photographic calendar. Now in its 16th year, the free-to-enter Awards are a global voice for photography and provide a vital insight into contemporary photography today. For both established and emerging artists, the Awards offer world-class opportunities for exposure of their work. The Awards additionally recognise the world’s most influential artists working in the medium through the Outstanding Contribution to Photography award.

Above: Photographer Zhu Zhu, Life or Death, 2023. Series: Nature East Africa. Copyright: © Zhu Zhu, Canada, Shortlist, Professional competition, Wildlife & Nature, Sony World Photography Awards 2023.

Above: Photographer Tariq Zaidi. A man carries a large fish through the auction area of the Hamar Weyne Fish Market, in the Heart of Mogadishu, Somalia. Copyright: © Tariq Zaidi, United Kingdom, Finalist, Professional competition, Documentary Projects, Sony World Photography Awards 2023.

Above left: Photographer Andres Gallardo Albajar, Muralla Roja, 2023. Series: Muralla Roja by Ricardo Bofill.”As the sun was coming out and the day was taking over, I started to feel that my visit was coming to an end, but I was running high on excitement and everywhere I looked I found interesting new photographs.” Copyright: © Andres Gallardo Albajar, Spain, Finalist, Professional competition, Architecture & Design, Sony World Photography Awards 2023. Above right: Photographer Lee-Ann Olwage, Michealle Naeku, 2023. Series: The Right To Play. Portrait of 12-year-old Michealle Naeku, a student at Kakenya’s Dream school in Enoosaen, Kenya. Naeku is an avid reader and dreams of becoming a nurse. The flowers are used to create a playful world where girls are shown exuding pride and joy. In this way the flowers are also used to reclaim their futures and dreams, and to re-imagine the narrative of child marriage. Copyright: © Lee-Ann Olwage, South Africa, Finalist, Professional competition, Creative, Sony World Photography Awards 2023

The World Photography Organisation has revealed the finalists and shortlisted photographers in the Professional competition for the Sony World Photography Awards 2023. Now in its 16th year, the Awards’ Professional competition rewards exceptional series of work both for technical skill and an original approach to storytelling. The winner of Photographer of the Year 2023 is chosen from the Professional finalists and announced on 13 April. A selection of images by finalists and shortlisted photographers will be exhibited as part of the Sony World Photography Awards at Somerset House, London, from 14 April-1 May 2023. With over 415,000 images from over 200 countries and territories submitted to the Sony World Photography Awards 2023, over 180,000 were entered into the Professional competition – the highest number of entries on record. Three finalists, as well as five to seven shortlisted photographers, were chosen in each category, ranging from Architecture & Design and Landscape to Wildlife & Nature and Still Life.

UP TO 330 KM BATTERY RANGE(1)

UP TO 136 HP(2)

UP TO 1,9 TON PAYLOAD(4)

8 YEAR

UP TO 17 M3 OF UTILITY CAPACITY(5)

BATTERY WARRANTY (3)

According to Mike Trow, Chair of the Jury, “Finding original and different viewpoints photographically is challenging –but ever more rewarding as photographers embrace global visual trends and at the same time explore their own culture and history. In 2023 we have come up with another exciting and challenging set of competition winners from across the globe and covering such a range of narratives... from bold takes on architecture to empowering documentary work, daring portraiture and beautiful and heartfelt creative work... They covered the profound and ongoing discussions around narrative truth and agency in art, as well as wider environmental, political and societal viewpoints. I hope those who get to see the work can get a sense of why we chose what we chose and can see how photography talks to all of our own personal experiences of life.”

Above: Photographer Sriram Murali, The Forest Comes Alive at Night, 2023. Series: Billions of Synchronous Fireflies Light up a Tiger Reserve. Millions of synchronously flashing fireflies light up the forests of Anamalai Tiger Reserve while the stars twinkle above. This image was created by stacking several photographs taken over a 16 minute period. Copyright: © Sriram Murali, India, Finalist, Professional competition, Wildlife & Nature, Sony World Photography Awards 2023.

Above: Photographer Ebrahim Noroozi, Afghanistan’s Girl Athletes, 2023. Series: Afghanistan’s Girl Athletes. A girls soccer team poses for a photograph while wearing a burqa, Kabul, Afghanistan, 22 September 2022. Series Description: A number of women and girls who used to play sports pose for portraits with the equipment of the sports they loved. They hid their identities with their burqas, the robes and hood that cover the face, leaving only a mesh to see through. Copyright: © Ebrahim Noroozi, Iran, Islamic Republic Of, Finalist, Professional competition, Portraiture, Sony World Photography Awards 2023

MELITA Gold MALTA

This issue is available in four denominations; 1oz-€100, 1/2oz-€50, 1/4oz-€25 and 1/10oz-€10.

Melita coins are legal tender and classed as investment gold, and their price is based primarily on the spot price of gold on the international markets. These bullion coins are exempt from any Value Added Tax.

Each coin is set in an individually numbered sealed card that certifies the coin within.

The fourteenth chapter in This is wine: its storied place and taste.

BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO –TUSCANY –ITALY

THE BRUNELLO GENERATION II

“Fruit of the earth, work of human hands, blessed be God forever”

This page: The region of Montalcino may seem rather unvaried as it conjures up images of gently rolling hills peppered with pines and olive groves crowned by medieval hamlets so familiar in our travels around Tuscany or as seen on wine labels up and down the region, but for one of the smallest DOCGs, Montalcino is also one of the most diverse in soils, varying altitudes, sun exposure, and microclimates belying the real state of affairs and resulting in a diversity of wines. Montalcino, Province of Siena.

Photograph Rob Allen.

ou could be forgiven if, in the fame and calibre of Brunello di Montalcino, you considered their wines to be rather homogenous, since we are talking of one grape variety, the Sangiovese, with strict winemaking standards grown in a DOCG region which is relatively small in comparison to say Chianti or the Super Tuscan Bordeaux-style blend of wines. But the overriding Brunello feature is rather the opposite. Brunello comes in a diversity of styles and flavour profiles some of which can be comfortably drunk in their youth due to their immediate and generous approachability; others require somewhat more cellaring to really come to their own exuberant expression; and others still remain reserved and austere until well into their old age a few decades later when they blossom into a tertiary complexity of gamey undergrowth and minerality that can equally rival high-end Bordeaux or Burgundy, writes Kris Bonavita.

Essentially the main characteristic that defines these families of wines, or groups of styles, over and above a vine grower and winemaker’s choices, is the specificity of terroir. An anomalous term that can be roughly explained as the different raw elements: geography, geology, height from sea level, soil type, sun exposure, and microclimate which help determine the chief characteristics of the grapes grown and their specific and identifiable

FIRST A BIT OF GEOGRAPHY

The region, about 40 kilometres from Siena and about the same distance from the Tuscan coast, is made up of unspoiled countryside of mainly twothirds hilly country and one-third flat land. Due to it being historically and economically almost forgotten in time from just about the medieval period, most of the villages and hamlets remain rather well preserved in an idyllic landscape jigsaw puzzled with a large percentage of woodlands, olive groves and vineyards only to be broken by the occasional farmstead, chapel or abbey.

The region, with only 15 percent taken up by vines (around 5000 acres), is roughly square, delineated by rivers with four major slopes rising to form a ridged peak. Enjoying a more Mediterranean climate than the rest of Tuscany, ie dryer and sunnier, the shallow soils and high altitudes benefit the already acid-prone Brunello grape due to strong diurnal temperatures, with a large difference between the hot dry days and cold nights, resulting in wines which no matter the ripeness level achieved maintain a strong backbone of reserve and acidity necessary for longer aging and better complexity, and creating a balance between the approachable ripe tannins people so enjoy in a wine and a more refined racy profile consummate with a thirstquenching and lengthier and silkier feel to the wines overall appreciation.

No major geological survey has been undertaken of the DOCG’s soil types, but judging from individual studies from single winemakers, the variance in soils is high - for example, the Banfi estate estimate that close to 30 types of soils can be identified in their vine holdings. Italy of course has an infamously complex and dynamic geology, shaped by mountains rising formed from ancient sea beds as a result of the African plate gate crashing into the European one forming the backbone of both the Apennine range up and down the peninsular and the Alpine range separating the country from continental Europe. Within this setting the region of Montalcino has undergone various cycles of elevation and submergence; meaning that even mountainous regions have layers of ancient sea bed interspersed with ancient alluvium as lands rose and sunk,

expression as a unique wine. The region of Montalcino may seem rather unvaried as it conjures up images of gently rolling hills peppered with pines and olive groves crowned by medieval hamlets so familiar in our travels around Tuscany or as seen on wine labels up and down the region, but for one of the smallest DOCGs, Montalcino is also one of the most diverse in soils, varying altitudes, sun exposure, and microclimates belying the real state of affairs and resulting in a diversity of wines.

while the middle altitude slopes and ridges have been subject to landslides of older higher altitude rock debris and erosion of glacial deposits, where the lower lands have deeper layers of more recent and deeper layers alluvium silts and soft clays.

Not every slope or ridge was subject to the same geological story and Montalcino is a testament to that as the region is pockmarked with isolated zones of differing soils even within close proximity, so neighbouring vineyards may have different soil profiles resulting in different wines. However, in broad brushstrokes, we can cautiously generalize that the higher the altitude the older the rocks and soils. Centering around the town of Montalcino itself the high-altitude vineyards are more than likely to have shallow and less fertile soils on bare rock (which counter intuitively is exactly what produces very good wine) composed of well-draining ancient Cretaceous stony gravel, schist, fossil/lime rich harder clays, and some sand. The middle slopes and ridges, diverging away from the town where a good number of vineyards are situated, have some of these mountain-laden rocks and gravels due to landslides but are more likely to have calcareous soils from the more recent Miocene and Oligocene period with layers of ancient alluvium of yellow clays. In contrast, the lower lands and valleys sporadically between these slopes have the more recently formed geological soils with deeper richer alluvium of soft clays, mud, sand, and marine sediment from the relatively younger Pleistocene and Pliocene period.

This alone results in various categories of expression of Brunello wines as each soil type results in a different style which with time and familiarity can be comfortably distinguishable upon multiple tastings. I should also say that while soil type and altitude are two of the main elements in determining a wine’s shape and feel, the various microclimates that the region enjoys ensure that while each vintage may have an overriding characteristic, for example, in a ripe balmy vintage (2016), a dry very hot vintage (2017), a cool classical vintage (2013) or a mild wet vintage (2014), you do get variations as various micro-regions, sun exposure and elevation ensure different zones have the advantage in different climatic conditions in any given year.

This February Biondi-Santi, the legendary Brunello producer, announced the release of its newest vintages of Brunello di Montalcino Riserva DOCG 2016 and Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2017. The first use of the word ‘Brunello’ dates back to the mid-19th century, when Clemente Santi won a prize for his ‘vino scelto’, made entirely from the Sangiovese Grosso varietal grown on his land in Montalcino. In 1888, his nephew, Ferruccio Biondi Santi, produced the first wine officially known as ‘Brunello di Montalcino’. Since then, the BiondiSanti name has been synonymous with excellence and is one of the world’s leading lights in the ‘Made in Italy’ movement, loved by both collectors and the most respected wine critics. In 2016, Christopher Descours’ acquisition of Biondi-Santi opened a new chapter in the company’s story with the introduction of important research and development projects both in the vineyards and the winery. These projects aim to further build on the excellence that has always been associated with Biondi-Santi.

This page: Biondi Santi vineyards view. Photograph courtesy Biondi Santi / Itaca Comunicazione.

The region of Montalcino, about 40 kilometres from Siena and about the same distance from the Tuscan coast, is made up of unspoiled countryside of mainly two-thirds hilly country and one-third flat land. Due to it being historically and economically almost forgotten in time from just about the medieval period, most of the villages and hamlets remain rather well preserved in an idyllic landscape jigsaw puzzled with a large percentage of woodlands, olive groves and vineyards only to be broken by the occasional farmstead, chapel or abbey.

San Quirico d’Orcia. Photograph Lennart Hellwig.

FAMILIES OF WINES

However, over and above this variation, a general feel of how to distinguish and enjoy the various expressions of Brunello can be broadly and cautiously determined as follows.

The upper vineyards centred around the town itself are known for their larger more structured wines with a tannic profile that tends to be reserved in their youth. A complex mineralize inflection is the most identifiable feature over and above a more level primary fruit-centred and secondary wood and spice profile. These wines tend to be the most age-worthy and have a structure and body allowing for the largest complexity without detracting from the refinement and silky tannins that are a trademark of Brunello.

The slopes and ridges especially to the southwest of Montalcino have a family of wines which are more fragrant and exuberant with a strong secondary profile of wood, leather, baked spices nicely entwined with rich layers of fruit and some minerality. These wines tend to be a bit too ethereal in their youth but with some cellaring develop into an effervescent display of complexity both in aromas and flavours extremely enjoyable even if still quite pricey. Tertiary layers do develop with time but the overall savoury leathery streak of bitter-sweet Mediterranean herbs and gamey undertones is the chief characteristic of these wines. You get some of the finesse of the higher altitude wines, even quite classical in profile, but the general shape is more rounded.

The deeper soiled lowland vineyards tend to produce a rich flavoured, somewhat rugged without being rustic, blend of primary fruit flavours, maybe less precise or peaked - ie a mix of red fruit flavours with some tertiary clayey soft tannins in the midpalate for weighting, and depending on the winemaker's penchant for oak, a secondary profile of wood and spice may be present (although despite the trend in the 90s to over oak winemakers tend to be more subtle in its use today). These wines are more approachable in their youth and can be due to ripe tannins less racy, maybe even flabby, but are overall good value fare that fall into the pop-and-pour restaurant table variety. Notwithstanding this very generalistic division upon multiple tastings, Brunello can also be further divided into families of wines following similar patterns. Indeed various wine authors have their own theoretical or geographical divisions of the region which take into consideration other elements, however I am rather keen on discerning the various personalities of wine the 'hard way' ie slowly but surely tasting for oneself the 200-plus producers of Brunello as a long term bucket list.

Donatella Cinelli Colombini Brunello di Montalcino 2017

€64, exclusively represented by Vini e Capricci by Abraham’s

Donatella Cinelli Colombini Brunello

di Montalcino

2017 has a fragrant floral soft textured gravelly bouquet of geraniums, cherry blossoms and red orchard fruit. The attack is Amarone cherries and black currants with savoury textures of wild grasses and liquorice oil pastilles, camphor and mint finish. This is not as steeply tannined as you would expect from a hot vintage. Even if there is a modicum of reserve it is more to do with the relatively young age of the wine which I believe needs more time than the 16s to flesh out and fill in. With a good few hours decant the fruit opens up to reveal peaked and precise layers of berries and cherries spiked in baked spices and dry dusty tannins, a charming characteristic of Colombini, which in good time will blossom into gravy notes of dry bitter herbs, animal hide and game from the clays.

With even more time, gilded mirrored mahogany tones of beeswax and wool French polish held together by a racy seductive grip of soft mid palate tannins with good bearing lending themselves to a raspy wild cherry pie crust pastry finale. This has somewhat the upper slope elegance of a Burgundy premier cru in its finesse.

I am a big fan of Colombini for the sheer subtlety that goes a long way in producing a wine with effortless charm (fun fact a wine made entirely by women). You don’t necessarily get the high-octane classical reserve of a Gaja or the effusive exuberance of a Ciacci Piccolomini but rather the grand dame finesse of a deep secondary profile slow moving crescendo with an evolution in the glass of repeated movements of ever more subtle but complex conceits, like some grandiose piano concerto.

I don’t understand the critic ratings on this wine, the popular ratings are closer to my call. Very fine indeed.

Supplier details: Vini e Capricci has a vast selection of Brunello and Italian wines.

Vini e Capricci by Abraham’s, Gozitano Agricultural Village, Mgarr Road, Xewkija Gozo. Tel 00356 2156 3231. Web viniecapricci.com

Silvio Nardi Brunello di Montalcino 2017

€60, exclusively represented by Mirachem

Silvio Nardi 2017 is amarone cherries, marshmallow and almonds on the nose. The attack likewise is tart red cherries with a filigree of light textures laced in bittersweet wild almonds in the mid palate to slowly evolve into a balsamic red flowers, endive and flint finish. Suavely monolithic at this stage with an outer bearing of steep summery tannins and ethers rearing to unfold but still tightly woven into the structure rather than the body of the wine typical of the best of the 17s.

The year could be dubbed a Mediterranean vintage with early harvesting of small berries the order of the day, the result of hot drought conditions where leaf management and water reserves were crucial even if a welcome September rain jumpstarted the final days to create wines with good tannic profiles that need time.

After a few hours breathing, a kirsch like mouth feel, Seville orange rind, anise and grasses with wind brushed oregano, thyme and red peppers, dark forest fruit and wood in the cherry. Still a bit of heat and high energy from the hot vintage but perfect for aging.

The brightness of the fruit speak of chalky soils and sandstone rocks; the gravel schists, quartz and sands play their part in the balsam fragrance and palatable finesse; and the toasted confection of fresh nuts, raw cinnamon and vanilla bean are probably from the French oaking as opposed to the more subtle neutrally inclined Slovenian fare in the later barreling. Finely sculpted and linear in shape this sings terroir from the get-go and reminds me of Gaia’s own stellar blend from a different but similar array of holdings.

Nardi’s vines are partially from the Casale del bosco Poggio Doria holding far northwest of Montalcino giving the wine its elegant finesse, classical ethos and sandy aromatics; a signature of the cooler terroir of this part of the region. While some grapes come from the Manachiara coveted high altitude warmer and dryer fields southeast of Montalcino, giving their healthy share of power, structure, length and breadth.

Supplier details: Mirachem has a vast selection of Brunello and Italian wines. Mirachem, Mira Building, Triq Kan K Pirotta, B’Kara. Tel 00356 2148 8590. Web wine.mt

Vigna Paganelli, Tenuta Il Poggione, Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 2015

€54.28, exclusively represented by Farsonsdirect

Il Poggione Vigna Paganelli Riserva 2015 is pipe tobacco, cocoa nibs, ripe strawberries and geranium flowers on the nose. The sweet entry is wild visciole cherries and red currants with a mid-bodied fleshiness ending in a flinty fragrant finish. Upon breathing, more intense gravel floral notes accompanied by a larger secondary profile of animal hide, hazelnuts, prunes, bittersweet herbs, grasses, coffee grind and liquorice oil, signs of deep roots and upper slope intensity. Warm scents, brilliant fruit and balsamic ethers speak of the chalky but clayey ripe but racy stellar vintage. The schists underlie the floral and dusty minerality, while a bodied tautness typical of the gallestro clays add their generous dose of dry underbrush, wet undergrowth and even white poultry game in good time. As such this is drinking splendidly even at this early stage for a broadshouldered vintage that can spend decades in the bottle at ease. The precision is there in droves marking off the south westerly fleshier wines of Sant Angelo in Colle in contrast to the northern purist refinement of Gaia or the serene Colombini and rather having more in common with the Sant Antimo star Santa Caterina holding of Ciaci Piccolomini a bit further east known for its fragrantly lush and subtly effervescent concentration.

Part of the secret to this candid complexity and high critic and popular ratings lies in the venerably old vines lying in good terroir; another part can be attributed to the probably legendary 2015 vintage where a wet and cold winter ushered in a temperamental spring which was just what the doctor ordered before a dry piping hot summer would bring all the ripeness one could wish for without losing the essential raciness bestowed by the cold nights on elevated fields. August provided a welcome reprieve not without its fair share of hail resulting in a small yield of powerfully structured and flexibly big tannins racy ripe wines. A wonderful rendition of the fabulous year.

Supplier details: Farsonsdirect has a vast selection of Brunello and Italian wines. Farsonsdirect, The Brewery, Mdina Road, B’Kara. Tel 00356 2381 4444. Web farsonsdirect.com

Frescobaldi Castelgiocondo Brunello di Montalcino 2015

Marchesi Frescobaldi’s Castelgiocondo 2015 is sugar frosted almonds and red bramble berries on the nose. The entry is damson plums and red cherries with a weighty mid palate bodied soft texture, ending in a baked spice, wood ember, touch of iron finish. With a few hours decant, candied orange peel, Vermouth bittersweet herbs and spices; oregano, anise, vanilla, cinnamon and clove sport the ancient alluvium and oaking, while a dash of rose petal Turkish delight dulcet and jammy wafts mark the optimum ripening of this stellar vintage.

This is very much primary and secondary at this stage with a flattering generosity masking the fact that this is still quite young by Brunello standards and can comfortably cellar to a gilded profile of tertiary complexity if given half the chance. Ribbons of satiny textures to the tannins speak volumes of the deepish galestro clays that form the heart and soul of this wine justifying its good popular ratings while the spice inflected ancient sands add layers to the secondary profile to make this seem richer than a normale.

Reminds me somewhat of the generous Poggione in its profile and shape sharing a similar geography southwest of Montalcino in the village of Castelgiocondo where a 300 metre altitude ensures the acidic backbone is there to accompany the advantageous ripening edge that is a characteristic of this family of Brunello wines. This would explain how with a normally reserved broad-shouldered vintage like 15 you get some of the rich approachability more common to the legendary 16 in this neck of the woods.

Very good value and worth buying and cellaring, this is only going to get better in a decade to come.

Supplier details: Charles Grech has a vast selection of Brunello and Italian wines.

Charles Grech, Palazzo Ca’ Brugnera, Valley Road, B’Kara.

Tel: 00356 2144 4400 (Sliema 00356 2132 3731, Ibragg 00356 2137 8609, Ta’ Xbiex Seafront 00356 2131 5064). Web charlesgrech.com

52.57, exclusively represented by Charles Grech Ltd

Marchesi Antinori Pian delle Vigne Brunello di Montalcino 2014

€48, exclusively represented by S. Rausi Trading Ltd

Antinori’s Pian delle Vigne 2014 is soft berried and stoned red fruit, vanilla bean and dry leaves on the nose. The entry is a medley of red cherries and currants with a mid palate soft fuzziness drifting into a thirst quenching cool waters finish. Tart but sweet acids add an element of effusive restraint helped by the yellow clays, touch of gravel flintiness, and iron fillings from the limestone soils. The shape of the wine and baked spice aromatics also call to mind some deeper soils with their fair share of silts. Upon breathing, a more prolonged finish with stronger cherry and forest fruit flavours; coffee grind, fennel or anise and tobacco also make their mark.

2014 was a wet but mild year with rains throughout the growing and harvesting season with delayed ripening graced by an Indian summer reprieve in September that saved the vintage, creating wines with good acidity, bright fruit and soft classical tannins. This sports these characteristics quite earnestly but the sherry like textures with sweet overtones suggest that despite this being a cool year the south-western sunny exposure and light coloured sun reflective soils give this wine a ripening advantage even if overall this feels quite autumnal.

The Pian delle Vigne Antinori estate lies 6km south west of Montalcino with clay, limestone, sand and fine gravel soils and forms part of the same family of wines sharing its geography, such as Frescobaldi’s Castelgiocondo and Tenuta Luce, known for their primary flavours and textural exuberance of deeper soils with good aromatics from the sands and gravels more generously open in their youth due to a warmer micro climate and softer clays, yet still retaining a modicum of finesse in the tannic profile and shape of the wine which advantageously ripen faster than the rest of the DOCG, a sunny edge in cooler vintages.

Supplier details: S. Rausi Trading has the full portfolio of Marchesi Antinori Wines.

S Rausi Trading Ltd, Empire Stadium Str, Gzira. Tel 00356 2131 6210. Web srausi.com/shop

SUNKISSED IN CRETE, HARVESTED BY HAND

This olive’s “natural juice” has all its ingredients intact thanks to the diligent process it undergoes from cultivation to pressing. Cultivated in Sitia, on the island of Crete, in an area world-famous for the quality of its olive oil, the olive trees grow in excellent soil conditions and in a special microclimate. Obtained through cold extraction and solely by mechanical means a few hours after harvest, this Extra Virgin Olive Oil is produced exclusively from the superior “Koroneiki” variety which offer a superb balance between bitter, spicy and fruity flavours and a distinct emerald shade.

“A party without cake is just a meeting.”

Julia Child

Easter Weekend Dessert Ideas

“Let everything you do be done in love. ” 1 Corinthians 16:14

Easter lunches, bring families and friends together, most often as a result of near heroic feats of preparation, planning and anticipation long forgotten in the kitchen. Finish off a heavy Easter meal with a light Pavlova, or wait until teatime for some indulgent Strawberry Shortcake and Easter Butter Biscuits.

PHOTOGRAPHY KAROLIN BAITINGER, HEATHER BARNES, ANITA AUSTVIKA.

PAVLOVA

Pavlova, the classic meringue-based dessert topped with whipped cream and fruit, is guaranteed to please. Even if your meringue does not work out quite right and does not look "perfect", quick decorating with whipped cream and fresh fruit can hide any "defects". A true pavlova has a soft layer in the middle produced by the addition of vinegar, corn flour, or both to the egg whites and sugar that would otherwise give a crisp result. Free range or organic eggs tend to have thicker egg whites which give a better result.

6 egg whites

330g caster sugar

1 1/2 tbsp cornflour

1 tsp white vinegar pinch salt

300ml cream, whipped berries and fruits as desired for topping

1. Preheat over to 120C (100C fan-assisted).

2. Beat egg whites until stiff. Add sugar slowly, beat to dissolve after each addition. Beat until stiff peaks form.

3. Add cornflour, vinegar and salt, beat one minute.

4. Spoon or pipe mixture onto baking paper on a greased baking tray to create a 20-25cm circle, building up sides slightly.

5. Bake until dry, roughly 1 1/2 hours. Turn oven off and cool in over with door ajar.

6. Transfer to a serving dish and top with freshly whipped cream and berries and fresh fruit, of your choice.

STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE

The name shortcake is derived from the old English cooking definition of short which refers to something made crisp with the addition of fat, like shortcrust pastry. Although shortcake and cake look similar, the texture is different – while shortcake tends to be more crumbly and crisp –with a crumbly scone like texture – cake tends to be light and airy.

1kilo strawberries, halved

55g caster sugar, plus extra for sprinkling

1L cold cream (500ml for shortcake, 500ml for whipping)

600g plain flour

3tsp baking powder

1tsp salt

125g cold unsalted butter, cubed

1 egg yolk

1. Mix halved strawberries with sugar and allow to sit to let out juices (macerate).

2. Preheat oven to 200C (180C fan-assisted).

3. Mix flour, baking powder and salt until well combined. Cut in cold butter to small chunks.

4. Add 500ml cold cream, mix with fork until a rough dough. Add more cream or milk as needed if mixture too dry.

5. Turn dough onto floured surface, roll out square, about 2cm thick. Using a 7-8cm diameter cookie cutter cut circles from dough, place on greased baking sheets roughly 4-5cm apart. Reroll dough scraps and repeat.

6. Mix egg yolk with 1 tablespoon of water and brush rounds. Sprinkle with caster sugar. Bake until edges are firm, puffed and browned slightly – roughly 12 minutes.

7. For serving whip remaining cream. Split shortcakes in half, place bottoms on dessert plates or serving dish, add whipped cream and strawberries. Cover with shortcake tops, then a dollop of whipped cream and strawberries to finish. Serve immediately with remaining cream and strawberries to pass around. For a more dramatic effect add an extra layer of shortcake and finish with a whole strawberry.

EASTER BUTTER COOKIES

Easy biscuits that are fun to decorate with family and friends with either a quick lemon icing or vanilla sugar paste.

100g unsalted butter, softened

100g caster sugar

2 eggs

1tsp vanilla extract

30g cornflour

300g plain flour

FOR ICING (ALTERNATIVELY USE SUGAR PASTE)

1–2tsp lemon juice, sieved

250g icing sugar

(different food colouring if desired)

1. Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy - about 4 minutes. Continue to beat, add in eggs one at a time, and vanilla.

2. Whisk in cornflour and flour until mixture comes together.

3. Roll out between two pieces of baking paper to about 5-6mm. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

4. Heat oven to 200C (180C fan-assisted). Remove top piece of baking paper and stamp out with cookie cutter shapes. Re-roll with off-cuts and repeat to use all cookie dough.

5. Bake on a lined baking tray until lightly browned - roughly 7 to 10 minutes. Cool on baking tray and transfer to a wire rack to allow to cool completely.

6. FOR ICING Mix icing sugar with 1 teaspoon lemon juice. Add about two tablespoons hot water little by little to a smooth stiff icing. Add more lemon juice and hot water as needed. Too much water will make it runny. Pipe icing or spread with a spatula. (At this stage icing may be divided into separate bowls, to add food colour if desired). ALTERNATIVELY ICE COOKIES WITH SUGAR PASTE (FONDANT ICING) Roll out fondant to about 2-3mm thick, cut to shape using cookie cutter shapes. Brush cookies with sugar syrup or honey and top with fondant.

The problem is specific goals are all-or-nothing: you either achieve the goal or you fail.

WHEN YOU SET AN OPEN GOAL, YOUR FOCUS IS ON YOUR STARTING POINT, FROM WHICH YOU CAN ONLY BUILD AND MAKE PROGRESS.

WANT TO EXERCISE MORE? TRY SETTING OPEN GOALS

The most common New Year’s resolution –set by 59% of us –is to exercise more. But our research suggests the way we typically set goals in exercise often doesn’t work. So, what should we do instead? Our research interviewing elite athletes suggests one possibility is to set open goals instead writes Christian Swann, Associate Professor in Psychology, Southern Cross University. Photography Etienne Girardet and Chris Barbalis.

Specific goals can actually put us off.Generally we’re advised to set specific, or SMART, goals (where SMART stands for specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and timebound). Aiming to walk 10,000 steps per day is a common example.

This advice is typically based on goal-setting theory from the 1990s. However, that theory has now evolved, with research now suggesting specific goals in some cases can actually put us off.

One problem is specific goals are all-or-nothing: you either achieve the goal or you fail.

That’s why you might feel you’ve failed after “only“recording 9,000 steps when your goal was 10,000. In reality, 9,000 steps might actually be an achievement (especially on a busy day) –but because you didn’t reach your specific target, it can feel disappointing.

When you stop making progress towards your goal, or start to feel like you’re failing, it’s easy to give up – just like many of us do with New Year’s resolutions. One alternative is to set what’s known as an open goal.

WHAT ARE OPEN GOALS?

Open goals are non-specific and exploratory, often phrased as aiming to “see how well I can do”. For example, professional golfers in one study described performing at their best when aiming to “see how many under par I can get”.

When colleagues and I interviewed elite athletes about exceptional performances, a Mount Everest climber described how: I was just thinking, ‘Oh I’ll just see how it goes and take it as it comes.’ I climbed higher and higher and the climb had got more and more engrossing and difficult and all-encompassing really […] until I discovered that I’d climbed like 40 metres without consciously knowing what I was doing.

Open goals don’t just work for elite athletes – they work well in exercise too. One study found insufficiently active people performed better (in this study that meant they walked further) when pursuing open goals than they did with SMART goals.

PSYCHOLOGICAL BENEFITS OF OPEN GOALS

Open goals are non-specific and exploratory, often pen goals aren’t just good for performance – they’re also much more psychologically beneficial than SMART goals.

Indeed, the elite athletes who first reported open goals described how they were an important part of experiencing flow – the enjoyable, rewarding state when everything just seems to click into place and we perform well without even needing to think about it.

Follow-up studies found open goals –compared to SMART goals – make walking more enjoyable, make people more confident and make them feel they performed better. That boosts motivation and suggests open goals can help people stick with exercise routines longer.

One participant said open goals “took away the trauma of failing”.

WHY DO OPEN GOALS WORK DIFFERENTLY TO SMART GOALS?

There’s another important difference between open and SMART goals. When you set a SMART goal, you’re identifying something in the future you want to achieve (“I want to be able to walk 10,000 steps every day”).

So pursuing SMART goals is about reducing the gap between where you are now and where you want to get to –you’re always lagging behind where you want to be. That can make it feel like your progress is slow, and slow progress doesn’t feel good.

When you set an open goal, your focus is on your starting point. If your goal is to “see how many steps I can reach today”, then as your step count rises, it will feel like you’re making progress. You may start to think, “Oh, I’m already on 2,000 steps… Now it’s

3,000 steps… Let’s see how many I can get to.”

Rather than comparing against where you should be, you’re constantly building on your starting point. That makes the process much more positive – and the more positive we feel during exercise, the more we’ll want to do it again and again.

To set your own open goals, think first about what you want to improve (for example “being more active”). Then identify what you want to measure, such as your daily average step count. Phrase your goal in an open-ended, exploratory way: “I want to see how high I can get my average daily step count by the end of the year.”

And then get started! With an open goal, you’re more likely to see progress, enjoy the experience, and stick with it until you’re ready to set – and achieve –more specific goals.

This article first appeared on The Conversation.

Open goals aren’t just good for performance –they are also much more psychologically beneficial than SMART goals.

TO BETTER ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF OLDER POPULATIONS, RESEARCHERS AND MEDIA SHOULD STOP FUSSING OVER AGEING

AGEING OBSESSED

The world seems to be obsessed with ageing. The media is plagued with articles about the costs of growing older, the cure to ageing and secrets to ageing successfully. Alongside these concerns, we strive to age gracefully or become “cognitive super-agers” - people whose brains function like those of a much younger person, writes Najmeh Khalili-Mahani, Researcher, Director of Media-Health/Game-Clinic laboratory, Concordia University. Not everyone fears ageing. There are also those who embrace it, and suggest that, instead of viewing ageing as something to overcome, we should view it as “second adulthood” –an opportunity in life after retirement, to complete, consolidate and share experiences of lives that were meaningfully lived. But even in embracing ageing, we seem to be defensive about it.

AGEING STEREOTYPES IN MEDIA

The media is largely responsible for creating and driving ageist stereotypes of older adults. An analysis of more than one billion entries in British and American media databases found that negative ageing descriptions were six times higher than the positive descriptions. The study found that negative descriptions of older adults tended to be physical, like portraying them as frail. On the other hand, positive descriptions tended to be behavioural, such as portraying older adults as caring.

Visual representations of ageing create good and bad stereotypes. Images of active and happy older adults create positive ageist stereotypes, while images of vulnerable and frail older adults create compassionate ageist stereotypes that are patronizing. These positive and negative stereotypes have cultural and political implications that determine how societies care for their older generations.

For example, a study about how older adults were portrayed in news media covering disasters in Canada showed a mismatch in communication between journalists and the older individuals whose stories were reported. The media portrayed older adults on a spectrum from vulnerable to heroic. By focusing on narratives of the brave older adult fighting for their home, journalists diverted the attention from the real need for disaster relief.

COVID-19 exposed the consequences of media ageism as well. One study found that news coverage of older adults in New Zealand treated them as a nameless, homogeneous group who were at risk and passive. The consequence of such messaging became evident in high rates of insensitive and stigmatizing comments about older adults on Twitter. A cross-cultural study in the UK and Colombia showed that the older adults were also angered by the protective ageism exercised during COVID-19. Our own investigation of the reactions on the social media to mainstream media articles about how older adults were coping with COVID-19 stress showed that older adults strongly objected to the writers' assumptions about their coping needs. We also found a

generational difference between parents and children in understanding older adult coping resources.

SUCCESSFUL AGEING

The concept of successful ageing can be traced back to researchers John Rowe and Robert Kahn. In their 1987 study on different types of ageing, they defined two distinct types: successful ageing (high functioning and low risk for developing agerelated deficits) and usual ageing (healthy but high risk for developing age-related deficits). They called on other researchers to seek interventions that increased the likelihood of belonging to the successful ageing group.

Helping older adults age successfully is now a worldwide research initiative. In 2021, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced a collaboration with the United Nations' agenda called the Decade of Healthy Ageing to improve the lives of older people and their communities. According to the WHO, healthy ageing means the ability to maintain mental and physical capacity for staying mobile and active, making decisions, building and maintaining relationships, and contributing to society.

At first glance, concerns with ageing seem to be motivated by a good cause, but upon closer inspection these concerns can be problematic. By overemphasising healthy ageing, those who are unable to age successfully are implicitly stigmatized. As gerontologist Tracey Gendron argues in her book Ageism Unmasked, overstating the necessity of retaining independence and functionality in later years of life gives rise to ageism.

THE CATCH-22

Robert Neil Butler, the founding director of the National Institute on Ageing in the US, coined the term Ageism in 1969. In his highly cited article Age-Ism: Another Form of Bigotry he wrote: "We have chosen mandatory retirement from the workforce and thus removed the elderly from the mainstream of life. Ageism is manifested in the taunting remarks about "old fogeys” in the special vulnerability of the elderly to muggings and robberies, in age-

discrimination in employment independent of individual competence, and in the probable inequalities in the allocation of research funds." Ironically, to further emphasize the necessity of increasing funding for studying ageing, Butler reverted back to highlighting the narrative of age-related deficit: "persons 65 years of age and over account for 25% of all public mental hospital admissions."

This is the catch-22, or the double bind created by paradoxical messaging from the same source. Like Butler, most researchers that focus on ageing justify their proposals based on age-related deficits. In a recent literature review of assistive information technologies for healthy ageing, we found that the narrative of ageing as a vulnerability or impending cost dominated the rationales for conducting research.

MIND THE LANGUAGE

Amultinational study of self-ageism shows that self-ageism - internalized prejudices against one’s own age - is culturally grounded. Yale health professor Becca Levy has extensively researched the adverse effects of self-ageism on both mental and physical health. Beliefs about ageing shape all aspects of our lives. Negative stereotypes of ageing mean older adults are less willing to seek help when they need it. Ageism and a lack of age-friendly communications alienate older adults from participating in research about their health. This makes them shy away from seeking care, or participating in research that can benefit them.

Those who study successful ageing are well aware that age - as a generalizing variabledoes not predict the capacities or needs of older study participants. But then why do we keep using age as a numerical or categorical index?

This catch-22 is a conflict in communication - the words researchers use to communicate their goals matter. If researchers wish to address the growing needs of older populations in a meaningful way and create effective assistive care strategies, they should stop sampling by age and start sampling by needs instead. To lock individuals into the narrative of age as a vulnerability means inevitably creating ageist stereotypes. This article first appeared on The Conversation.

DAR PADOVA

DAR PADOVA IN GOZO – NOW FULLY REFURBISHED WITH NEW SERVICES AND CLINICS THAT WILL CONTINUE TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR THE ELDERLY

Through the services provided at Dar Padova, Gozitan elderly people are now obtaining the health care services according to their needs and closer to home.

DAR PADOVA IN GOZO –NOW FULLY REFURBISHED WITH NEW SERVICES AND CLINICS FOR THE ELDERLY

Independent Living and Active Ageing in Gozo

Active Ageing and Community Care offers a variety of services aimed at helping older adults remain living as independently as possible in the community. In this regard, a multidisciplinary clinic was opened at Dar Padova in Għajnsielem Gozo, where various services are being offered to help Gozitan elderly people and their families have a better quality of life at the heart of the community where they live, writes the team at Active Ageing and Community Care.

With an investment of €140,000, Dar Padova was extensively refurbished in 2022, to offer new facilities that will continue to improve the quality of life for the elderly. A Dementia Activity Centre and a Night Shelter were already present prior to this refurbishment exercise. The Dementia Activity Centre is run by staff who are proficient and trained in dementia care. This centre helps reduce caregiver stress, whilst therapy is offered so that persons suffering from dementia can remain active in a safe, secure and dementia friendly environment.

On the other hand, the aim of the Night Shelter service is to offer a secure and protective environment during the night to older persons who live alone and who, for various reasons, may feel insecure in their home.

However, since Active Ageing and Community Care always strives for excellence, the premises were radically refurbished, and more services and new clinics have now been added. The modernisation of the facilities was carried out with the aim of continuing to strengthen the services linked to the care of the elderly in Gozo. Besides better facilities for the Dementia Activity Centre and Night Shelter users, new services were introduced including Phlebotomy Services, Domiciliary Nursing and Caring Services, a Vascular Clinic Service, Podiatry Services, Occupational Therapy Services, Domiciliary Dietitian Services, Clinical Nutrition Services and Psychotherapy Services. The rooms that are being utilised as clinics are equipped with the necessary medical equipment to enable the professionals to deliver their services to the highest standards. In fact, for the vascular clinic, a doppler vascular ultrasound was purchased.

The Silver-T Service is another new service being offered. This is a transport service which is free of charge and is offered to older persons to conduct their daily errands within the community, without having to depend on their families and friends. This service is also offered to the elderly that need transport to attend to appointments at the clinics in Dar Padova.

The Dementia Intervention Team is now providing community-based services to Gozitan people with dementia and their caregivers through the services of specially trained nurses that are now working from Dar Padova. A holistic assessment of the caregivers’ and care recipients’ situation is carried out at the person’s residence so that a care plan is tailor-made for each case.

Through the services provided at Dar Padova, Gozitan elderly people are now obtaining the health care services according to their needs and closer to their home.

All Gozitan senior citizens, over 60 years of age, are encouraged to make use of the services available at Dar Padova. Further details are available online on www.activeageing.gov.mt, on telephone numbers 153/22788900/22788238 (Gozo), email on aaccservices@gov.mt or visit Ċentru Servizz Anzjan in Gozo in the Citybel Complex, Level 3, Saint Martha Street, Victoria, Gozo.

Optimising Opportunities in Old Age

The concept of active ageing has only been established in past decade, however one questions what is truly understood by the implications of active ageing –namely, health, participation and security. Effectively, older adults in this day and age are encouraged to be more active, yet the intrinsic meaning merits attention to optimize opportunities in old age. Moreover, active ageing should be understood within domains that link quality-of-life and aspects that interrelate the conceptualization of how we perceive old age, writes Noel Borg, Chief Operating Officer, CareMalta Group.

In all care homes, managed by CareMalta, we promote and enhance the concept of active ageing in order to improve the quality of life of each resident and to promote healthy living. Through different activities organized, residents are encouraged to participate to fully engage in wellness.

This year is the 30th Anniversary of CareMalta Group, and over these past thirty years, we created exceptional services for the elderly. As a company, CareMalta gains the residents’ full trust and remains the leader in care by ascertaining that each and every member of the team works each day with a proper sense of integrity, where quality is non-negotiable, and where safety is central in all practices.

OLD AGE IS A BLESSING

The appreciation of old age in our societies is based on values, however, ageism is the agnostic catalyst to the comprehension of this. We live in an era that despite setting an active ageing perspective, limits the same notion though ageist methodologies.

Older adults are a wealth of information and knowledge, thus the applicability of such is our responsibility. To nurture and flourish knowledge is the basis of why older adults are fundamental. To have older adults contributing to society is beyond tangible understanding.

NOT BE A TABOO AND NOT A BOUNDARY

Old age should be sought as a complement in one’s life. A person does not opt which path of life he lives, but rather seeks to evolve from birth till old age. This leads to set key aspects upfront in realizing that everyone can contribute, in every stage in life. Potential of life is crucial in active ageing. Everyone can contribute if the contribution is aligned with a person’s potential.

REALISTIC GOALS TO ACHIEVE ACTIVE AGEING

We cannot place older adults under one umbrella. As we age, every person has more distinctive features, and more individualization of self,

especially though the expression of identity. Therefor every person should be geared to contribute and express one’s strength where he or she can succeed. Futile approaches to active ageing need to be streamlined, to ensure that every older adult has realistic goals in achieving the status of active ageing. We should not lead to a false misinterpretation on one’s own understanding, but rather consolidate different approaches in attaining holistic outcomes.

ABOUT NOEL BORG, COO, CareMalta Group. Qualified as a nurse by profession and having worked in the cardiac intensive care unit at Mater Dei Hospital, Noel Borg joined the group in October 2005 as a staff nurse and later on as a deputy manager. In 2010, Noel was appointed as Facility Manager of Casa Arkati, Mosta where he was responsible for the overall management of the home and later in 2012 he was appointed Nursing Manager of Zammit Clapp Hospital Residential Home. After four and a half years, he was promoted to Senior Nursing Manager of CareMalta Ltd until 2022. Today Noel occupies the role of a Chief Operating Officer. He is also appointed as a non-executive Director with HILA Ltd. and CareMalta Group Ltd. Noel holds a Diploma in Health Science (Nursing), BSc. (Hons) Nursing, International Diploma in Human Resources and Personnel management and Masters of Arts in Bioethics. He also graduated at post-graduate level in Patient Safety and Clinical Risk Management. Noel is also a member of the Military and Hospitaller Order of St. Lazarus of Jerusalem, and a visiting lecturer at the University of Malta in both the faculty of Health Science and Faculty of Social Well Being.

RIJKSMUSEUM LANDMARK EXHIBITION

VERMEER

ohannes Vermeer is famous around the world for his paintings of calm scenes in domestic settings, his unprecedented use of bright, colorful light and his convincing illusionism. In contrast to Rembrandt, Vermeer left a remarkably small oeuvre with about 37 works. As his paintings are generally considered the most prized treasures of every museum collection, Vermeer paintings are rarely lent out. And this is what makes the Rijksmuseum’s retrospective exhibition to the 17th-century master – currently running until 4th June 2023 –so spectacular. Never before have so many paintings by Vermeer been brought together in one place. Photography courtesy Rijksmuseum.

This page: Mistress and Maid, Johannes Vermeer, c. 1665-67, oil on canvas. The Frick Collection, New York. Photo: Joseph Coscia Jr. Facing page: Girl with the Red Hat, Johannes Vermeer, 1664-67. National Gallery of Art Washington.

“You’re so calm and quiet, you never say. But there are things inside you. I see them sometimes, hiding in your eyes.”

Tracy Chevalier, Girl with a Pearl Earring

This page: View of Houses in Delft, known as ‘The Little Street’, Johannes Vermeer, 1658-59, oil on canvas. Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam. Gift of H.W.A. Deterding, London.

The Rijksmuseum’s landmark Vermeer exhibition is the biggest-ever exhibition devoted exclusively to the master painter of Delft. At least 28 paintings out of Vermeer’s very small oeuvre have been loaned from museums and collections from Europe, the United States and Japan. In many cases, this will be the first time they are exhibited in the Netherlands. In an extraordinary gesture the Frick Collection has lent all three of its Vermeer masterpieces to the exhibition: The Girl Interrupted at Her Music, Officer and Laughing Girl, and Mistress and Maid. The Rijksmuseum exhibition will be the first time that all three paintings are shown together outside of New York since they were acquired more than a century ago.

Two paintings have undergone extensive examination at the Rijksmuseum prior to the exhibition. A team of leading curators, conservators and scientists worked together closely to conduct new research into Vermeer’s paintings using the latest available technology. The insights gained shed new light on Vermeer’s life and work, his personal circumstances, the artistic choices and motivations for his compositions, as well as the creative process behind his paintings.

Additional highlights include The Girl with a Pearl Earring (Mauritshuis, The Hague), The Geographer (Städel Museum, Frankfurt am Main), Lady Writing a Letter with her Maid (The National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin, Woman Holding a Balance (The National Gallery of Art, Washington DC), The Glass of Wine (Gemäldegalerie, Berlin), Young Woman with a Lute (Metropolitan Museum, NYC) and The Lacemaker (Louvre, Paris). Works never before shown to the public in the Netherlands will include the newly restored Girl Reading a Letter at the Open Window from the Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister in Dresden. The Rijksmuseum itself owns four masterpieces by Vermeer: The Milkmaid, The Little Street, Woman Reading a Letter and The Love Letter.

Above: The Milkmaid, Johannes Vermeer, Johannes Vermeer, 1658-59, oil on canvas. Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam. Purchased with the support of the Vereniging Rembrandt. Right: Girl with a Pearl Earring, Johannes Vermeer, 1664–67, oil on canvas. Mauritshuis, The Hague. Bequest of Arnoldus Andries des Tombe, The Hague. Bottom right: Girl Reading a Letter at an Open Window, Johannes Vermeer, 1657-58, oil on canvas. Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister, Dresden.

Taco Dibbits, General Director Rijksmuseum says that “this exhibition offers an unprecedented opportunity to experience such a large number of Vermeer paintings come together in one place. It is an exciting prospect for the public and all Vermeer lovers, as well as scientists, conservators and art historians. We are extremely grateful to the partnering museums and organisations who have made this exhibition possible with very exceptional and generous loans.”

In conjunction with the exhibition the Rijksmuseum launched the digital experience Closer to Johannes Vermeer, available for free to all Vermeer lovers around the world. The digital experience transports visitors into the artist’s universe, packed with fascinating stories and facts about Vermeer and his work. This interactive journey of discovery includes all 28 Vermeer paintings in the Rijksmuseum exhibition plus the nine additional works attributed to the artist. The experience also offers a rare opportunity to compare recurring

motives throughout Vermeer’s paintings: pearls, yellow jackets, curtains, maps, use of the ultramarine, etc. Utilising the latest available technology, for the first time visitors will be able to zoom in on the tiniest pigment particles in pin-sharp detail via ultra-high resolution photographs of some Vermeer paintings.

The exhibition is on at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam until 4 June 2023 and will be the only venue.

Top left: Girl Interrupted at Her Music, Johannes Vermeer, 1659–61, oil on canvas. The Frick Collection. New York. Photo: Joseph Coscia Jr. Top right: The Glass of Wine, Johannes Vermeer, c. 1659-61, oil on canvas. Staatliche Museen zu Berlin –Gemäldegalerie. Above left: Officer and Laughing Girl, Johannes Vermeer, 1657-58, oil on canvas. The Frick Collection, New York. Photo: Joseph Coscia Jr. Above right: Woman Holding a Balance, Johannes Vermeer, c. 1662-64, oil on canvas. National Gallery of Art, Washington, Widener Collection.

EINSTEIN’S FIRST WIFE

The Incredible Mileva Maric

Atrailblazer in her field, Mileva Marić-Einstein was one of the first female physicists in the world and Albert Einstein's first wife, and there is evidence that she contributed significantly to his research, including his theory of special relativity. Mileva Marić was born in Serbia in 1875 to wealthy parents, and in 1892 had special permission to attend physics lectures – at the time reserved for boys. By 1896 she was admitted to the Polytechnic Institute in Zurich's physics-mathematics section with four other students – all men – including Albert Einstein. The two would become inseparable – spending hours studying together. Writing to Mileva in 1900, Albert wrote “I look forward to resume our new common work. You must now continue with your research –how proud I will be to have a doctor for my spouse when I’ll only be an ordinary man.” By December 1900 they would submit their first article, but only under Albert's name. A 2015 biography suggests that Mileva probably wanted to help Albert make a name for himself, so that he could find a job and marry her. A letter from Albert to Mileva in March 1901 makes it clear that they collaborated on special relativity: “How happy and proud I will be when the two of us together will have brought our work on relative motion to a victorious conclusion." In 1901 Mileva got pregnant and gave birth to a girl – this is only accounted for in letters to Albert. Then in 1903 the two got married, and while Mileva stopped studying, in the evenings they would still work together. But by 1914 things would change dramatically after a long affair between Albert and his first cousin Elsa Löwenthal. In 1919, Mileva agreed to divorce Albert with a clause in their divorce stating that if he ever received the Nobel Prize, she would get the money, which she did.

page: Milena Marić Einstein and her husband, 1912. Credit ETH Bibliothek Archives Zurich.

ROOM FOR BEST FRIENDS