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Don Carlo Zimech (Maltese: Dun Karlu Zimech, 1696 – 22 June 1766) was a Maltese priest and painter. He was born within a well-off family in Żebbuġ on mainland Malta. In his later life, he retired to Nadur, Gozo, possibly because of health problems. He died in his residence on 22 June 1766, and was buried in the Nadur parish church.

Paintings attributed to Zimech include:

• The Annunciation, at the sacristy of the Balzan parish church
• The Immaculate Conception (1738), old altarpiece of the Cospicua parish church
• Our Lady of the Holy Rosary, at the Parish Church of St George, Qormi
• The Immaculate Conception, The martyrdom of St Paul (1750), The martyrdom of St Peter (1750) and The Four Evangelists, at the Nadur parish church
• San Carlo, at the Church of Our Lady of Sorrows, Pietà – this is signed with his initials DCZ

Zimech is sometimes also credited with The Nativity of Our Lady (1744), the altarpiece of the Xagħra parish church. However, this is disputed and its artist and date of execution are uncertain. It seems to have been originally been located somewhere in Malta (possibly Senglea) and it was transferred to Xagħra in 1744–51. Zimech might have modified the painting to fit in its new location.

Some of Zimech's work has been erroneously attributed to the architect and poet Carlo Gimach due to the similarity of their names. Gimach lived in Portugal and Rome during Zimech's lifespan, and there is no evidence that he was a painter.

A street in Nadur is named after him, Triq Dun Karlu Zimech (Don Carlo Zimech Street).

References

1. ^ Schiavone, Michael J. (2009). Dictionary of Maltese Biographies Vol. II G-Z. Pietà: Pubblikazzjonijiet Indipendenza. p. 1711. ISBN 9789993291329.
2. ^ Ellul, Michael (1986). "Carlo Gimach (1651–1730) – Architect and Poet" (PDF). Proceedings of History Week. Historical Society of Malta: 37–38. Archived (PDF) from the original on 4 August 2017.
3. Muscat, Joseph (June 2012). "The Monumental Church of Nadur" (PDF). The Gozo Observer (26): 30. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
4. Scerri, John. "Xaghra". Archived from the original on 12 April 2018.
5. Attard-Hili, Aaron (27 June 2010). "Xaghra Church titular painting restored to its former glory". The Malta Independent. Archived from the original on 15 June 2018.
6. Attard, Francis A. (June 1994). The mAZe – A handy Guide to the Streets of Malta and Gozo. Birkirkara: Uptrend Publishing. p. 369.

• 1696 births
• 1766 deaths
• People from Żebbuġ
• 18th-century Maltese Roman Catholic priests
• 18th-century Maltese painters
• 18th-century male artists