Malta and Gozo’s dramatic cliffs, blue seas and unmistakable Mediterranean light have inspired the latest work by Sicilian artist Edoardo La Francesca.The Malta-based painter has completed Le Nereidi, a striking 120 × 100cm oil painting combining the Maltese Islands’ landscape with characters straight out of Greek mythology.The work depicts three Nereids, sea nymphs from ancient Greek mythology, surrounded by a rocky Mediterranean landscape.But don’t go looking for the exact spot around Malta or Gozo.Rather than recreating one particular location, La Francesca drew on years spent observing the islands’ sea, limestone cliffs and distinctive light to create an imagined Mediterranean setting.And this isn’t the first time Malta has found its way onto his canvas.La Francesca previously revealed that the idea for his monumental Baptism of Christ in the River Jordan actually began while he was looking out at the sea in Qawra.The Maltese coastline became the visual starting point from which he imagined the biblical landscape surrounding the River Jordan.Born in Erice, Sicily, in 1991, La Francesca initially trained in Conservation and Restoration of Cultural Heritage before establishing himself as a figurative painter.His professional work in Malta has also brought him into direct contact with historic works by major artists including Mattia Preti, Luca Giordano, Anton Favray and Giuseppe Calì.Over the years, La Francesca has worked on institutional and ecclesiastical commissions in both Malta and Italy, while his more recent paintings have increasingly drawn inspiration from the Mediterranean surroundings he now calls home.And with Le Nereidi, Malta and Gozo haven’t simply provided a backdrop, their landscapes have helped shape an entirely new mythological world.Le Nereidi was completed in 2026 as a private commission.Share this amazing piece of art!•