Published: 20240228
The President of the Republic of Malta, Dr. George William Vella, and his wife Miriam Vella, while visiting Lithuania, wished to learn more about Lithuania's history, heritage and the links between the two countries. Dr Povilas Dikavičius, the guide who accompanied the guests at the National Museum – Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania, talked about the Palace of the Grand Dukes and the rulers who lived there. The President was pleasantly surprised to hear the name of the Grand Duchess of Lithuania, the Queen of Poland, the Crown Princess of Naples, and the Duchess of Bari and Rosano, Bona Sforza, and was interested in the connections with Italy and the Sforza family.
Nowadays, a painting by Mattia Preti of Christ on the Mount of Olives can be seen in the art gallery of patron Dr Pranas Kiznis. The President of Malta admired the presence of this famous artist, as Mattia Preti, a native of Calabria, spent most of his life in Southern Italy and Malta, and is known as Malta's most famous artist, with the Valletta Cathedral decorated with his frescoes. Caravaggio hid in Malta for a time and left his paintings behind, and the Palace of the Grand Dukes today exhibits a number of paintings by Caravaggio's teachers, students and even his rivals. The guests were deeply curious about these links and asked questions about them. A few years ago, the Museum exhibited a single masterpiece, the Order of the Grand Master of Malta.
The President of Malta, G.W. Vella, who visited the Museum's exhibitions, boasted that Malta had recently restored the collection of tapestries that adorned the St John's Cathedral in Valletta, of which he was very proud, as the tapestry panels were designed by Peter Paul Rubens. The guest was interested in learning about the collection of the Palace of the Grand Dukes in Vilnius and how the sensitive fabrics are restored and then exhibited in the Museum halls. The President of Malta was delighted to receive as a gift the catalogue of the Sigismund Augustus Tapestry Exhibition.
The President of Malta and his wife were accompanied by the Minister of Culture of the Republic of Lithuania Simonas Kairys, the Head of the Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania, Dr Vydas Dolinskas and the Ambassador of Lithuania to Italy and Malta Dalia Kreivienė.
