The MARQ pays tribute to the tercentenary of the birth of the illustrious scientist and seafarer from Alicante George John (1713-1773) with the exhibition of the works "Astronomical and Physical Observations,made by order of His Majesty in the kingdoms of Peru" and "Historical Account of the Voyage to South America" which he himself wrote together with Antonio de Ulloa in 1748.
The treatise, which records the result of the journey that both scholars undertook to obtain the measurement of the meridian degree in the Viceroyalty of Peru, contains important revelations and concludes that the Earth is a sphere flattened at the polesThe work was a definite breakthrough for the development of maritime navigation and naval engineering and settled one of the greatest European controversies of the time.
This proposal forms part of the museum's new exhibition programme, which, under the title "Book Corner"aims to disseminate and to raise awareness of the library's holdings of MARQ through the exhibition of valuable works of art, as well as the bringing cultural heritage and history closer to the public of the province.
Jorge Juan Santacilia
Jorge Juan Santacilia was born in year 1713 from the heart of a wealthy family in Alicante, and was one of the most important enlightened scientists of the 18th century in Spain.. This scholar, who dedicated his life to the service of the crown and to research, explored Africa as ambassador to Morocco, travelled around America to draw up the map of the Earth and travelled around Europe to carry out literary research with which he illustrated academies such as the Spanish Academy of San Fernando, the French, English and Prussian academies.
