Spain and the Hispanic World Treasures from the Hispanic Society Museum and Library

Interesting exhibition at the Royal Academy charting the history of Spanish art via the collection of the New York based Hispanic Society.

I would have liked to see the show take a different narrative as the collection wasn’t comprehensive enough to give a full picture of the history of the art of the country and its colonies. For example there was no work by Murillo, Picasso or Miro and little Romanesque work. It might have been better to look at the history of the collection instead.

Having said that there were some beautiful pieces. The poster girl is the amazing portrait of the Duchess of Alba by Goya which doesn’t disappoint. I loved this head of a girl by Velazquez and some wonderful Medieval and Renaissance sculpture. Unfortunately there were some pretty horrid work too such as “Maria Louisa de Orleans, Queen of Spain, Lying in State” by Sebastian Munoz, one it will take me a long time to forget!

It was good that the show covered the Islamic period and the colonies well. I’d have liked to know a bit more about the colonial artists. The colonial design work was beautiful with local artists copying Spanish patterns which were too expensive to import.

All in all a good show but it could have had a better focus.

Closes 12 April 2023


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