Antonio Schranz Art for Sale at Auction

b. 1801 - d. 1865

Born of a Spanish mother and bred in Menorca, he understandably often described himself as Spanish, as in the 1823 return. Indeed, years after arriving in Malta, the Schranzes kept seeing themselves as Spanish – except Anton the Elder, affectionately known as il-Germaniz. At times, Antonio declared he was English, as in October 1842, returning from Alexandria on HMS Phoenix with Lord Castlereagh. On other occasions he declared himself Maltese, as in February 1841, returning from Trieste on the Gloria.

Antonio’s linguistic abilities are reported by Lord Lindsay of Bibliotheca Lindesiana fame. On an eight-month tour through Egypt, Palestine, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria, Lindsay met Antonio in Damascus on June 4 1837, with two friends, John Pell and “Mr Alewyn”. In his book Letters on Egypt, Edom and the Holy Land (Henry Colburn, 1837) Lindsay describes them as “most agreeable, enlightened companions”, “a German artist”, “an Oxford man” and “a Dutchman [who] speaks English perfectly and enjoys Shakespeare”. Having heard of fighting in Palmyra, Antonio’s party gave up going there, as they had no Arab escort – indispensable, if one wished to remain alive. Palmyra being Lindsay’s destination, he invited them to join his well-armed caravan. They spent six weeks together. Lindsay says Antonio “speaks German, Spanish, Italian and Maltese as mother tongues, Greek and uncommonly good English”.

Most surprising is Antonio’s April 21, 1836, Ariadne departure for Smyrna and Constantinople: he declared himself “Antonio Schranz of Gibraltar” – with a passport this time, no. 180, issued on April 19. For three intriguing years he accompanied different travellers through deserts and vast, troubled territories in north Africa and the near East, producing works which feature in auction catalogues, collections and museums. As far as I could ascertain, this is his only journey with departure and arrival fully registered – truly he was a maverick, if ever there was one. Following his tracks is daunting.

“Antonio Schranz (1801 – after 1863)” is how his name appears in print: as with Giuseppe (thought to have died in Istanbul in the 1850s), Antonio’s date and place of death were unknown, emerging only in 2015, when I discovered his will and probate.