Visit to Blairs by the Prince and Grand Master of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta.

< Back to news listing

A low key but nonetheless prestigious visit to Blairs Museum took place on Tuesday 17th April 2012. Fra Matthew Festing, Prince and Grand Master of the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of St. John of Jerusalem, of Rhodes and Malta, requested a private visit to the museum. This followed on from his Hay of Seaton Memorial Lecture on the topic of Opportunities for Cooperation between the Faiths of the Middle East: an humanitarian view from the Order of Malta, given at the University of Aberdeen the previous evening. Also in attendance was His Grace the Archbishop of Glasgow in his role as Chair of The Heritage Commission for the Bishops’ Conference of Scotland. His Eminence was delighted to be given a private tour by the Front of House Manager and Curator at the museum and expressed great interest in the artefacts on display. His experience working for Sothebys stood him in good stead as he was able to comment on the subject matter and style of several of the portraits. He appeared to be particularly impressed by the Memorial Portrait of Mary Queen of Scots which is the star attraction at the museum. It was painted between 1587 and 1620 by an unknown artist at the request of one of her former Ladies in Waiting, Elizabeth Curle, and is virtually life-size. Mary Queen of Scots was executed in 1587, allegedly for her involvement in a plot to assassinate Queen Elizabeth I. However, the portrait commemorates her death as a Roman Catholic martyr who died professing “the true Faith”.
Vikki Duncan, Curator

Published
19th Apr 2012

Region
Aberdeen City & Shire
Angus and Dundee
Edinburgh & The Lothians
The Highlands

Publisher
Blairs Museum