The exhibition is called ‘The Mark of Jorge Juan: The Legacy of an Enlightened Scientist’ in commemoration of 250 years since the passing of Jorge Juan de Santacilia, one of the most accomplished sailors in the history of the Spanish Navy. Jorge Juan left an enduring impression and made a significant contribution to the Enlightenment ideas of his era. He influenced a variety of fields, including politics, economics, the military, history, geography, astronomy, shipbuilding, and education.

Held in the Spanish capital, this exhibition provides a more comprehensive study of this remarkable figure than has ever been available before, through five large components. The first of these units delves into his relationship with the Order of St John in Malta, recounting his voyage there as a young child in 1722 to join the Order, where he eventually worked his way up to become a page to the Grand Master three years later.

Based on Jorge Juan’s known time frames within the Order, it was determined that an oil on canvas painting at the Grand Master’s Palace in Valletta, ‘Portrait of Grand Master Antonio Manoel de Vilhena with Pages’ by Maltese artist Enrico Regnaud, was most likely portrayal of a young Jorge Juan. Thus, Heritage Malta generously loaned the painting to the Museo Naval de Madrid for exhibiting purposes.