Set the scene.
Lanfranco wrote guides to Malta’s plants and fish and illustrated much of his own work. Explaining natural history could involve drawing as well as describing species.
Here’s the twist.
For the University’s museum he made lifelike models of Maltese mushrooms. A model could preserve visible features without depending on a fresh specimen remaining in good condition.
Why it still matters.
His interests also included lichens, which he studied in Pembrokeshire in 1956. The small and easily overlooked could become a serious subject for close investigation.
🧠 One to think about +
What does this story change about the way you see Malta today? Pick one detail you’d tell a friend — then check its source below.