Spanish art from the collection of the State Hermitage
29 June 2010 - 21 November 2010
Radischev Museum of Visual Art, Saratov
78 exhibits

From June 29 to November 21, 2010 an exhibition Spanish Art based on the collection of the State Hermitage will be opened at Saratov state Radischev Museum which is specially arranged for the museum’s anniversary. The exhibition is a full and comprehensive representation of the Spanish art of the 14th-19th centuries. The State Hermitage owns the largest collection of Spanish painting after Spain and one of the world’s largest collections of items of decorative and applied arts.

Picturesque paintings put on the display relate to the 16th-17th centuries, the period which is known in the history of Spanish art as the golden age. Most of them are stored in the archive and are rarely exposed.

The display features works of prominent masters which glorified the Spanish painting worldwide such as Diego Velasquez, Bartolome Esteban Murillo, Jose de Ribera, Francisco de Zurbaran, Alonso Cano.

The Hermitage’s painting San Fernando by Zurbaran which captured the Reconquista hero comes from the altar of La Merced Descalzas covent’s church (Seville). Many of Spain’s renowned artists originated from Seville. The great Diego Velasquez was born and created his first works there and moved to Madrid in 1623 where he was shortly appointed the king’s painter. Velasquez’s Man’s head in profile is a fragment of one of the lost genre of so called bodegones scenes (spanish bodegon – tavern, pub) painted by the artist in his youth. Alonso Cano is represented by an exquisite tondo Christ and John the Baptist in childhood. The childhood theme was extremely popular in the Spanish painting.

Among glorified Seville masters is Bartolome Esteban Murillo who was the most appreciated Spanish painter in Europe in 18th-19th centuries. Bartolome Esteban Murillo is represented at the display by the painting St. Joseph holding the hand of Christ the child. Elaborated Barocco painting can be contemplated in the Child’s portrait of Carlos the 2nd painted by the court painter of king Sebastian Herrera Barnuevo. In this portrait the king is displayed against the background of the parade suite of the King’s palace with the Golden Fleece medal surrounded by allegories of the lion and the eagle included in the emblem of the Hapsburg dynasty and the signs of emperor’s power.

The Hermitage’s collection of decorative and applied arts of Spain is rich and versatile: it represents artistic items made of glass, bone, silver, skin, timber, the ceramics of Spanish style, espalier; most of them can be seen on the display.

Spanish art of arms is an integral part of the bright and peculiar culture of this country. For a long time it preserved its traditions and typical features and was distinctive due to high professionalism of armorers and artists-decorators who decorated various armoury items. The display features an impressive set with a sword and a dagger for the left hand as well as silicon and wheeled rifles and pistols embellished with gold, silver and engraving.

Great variety of items exhibited at the Spanish art from the collection of the Hermitage allows to trace the development of the Spanish art in the period from the 14th to the 19th centuries.

St Fernando Circa 1630-1634 Larger view		Portrait of a Man Between 1655 and 1660 Larger view
Boy Looking for Fleas on a Dog 1650s Larger view		St Joseph and the Infant Christ 1660-1665 Larger view
Portrait of Charles II as a Child Circa 1670 Larger view		Pair of silicon pistols with wiping rods Circa 1600-1670 Larger view
Cabinet 17th century Larger view		Tapestry Meeting of Don Quixote with peasant women from the series The History of Don Quixote 1727-1746 Larger view
Boy Blowing Soap Bubbles Between 1700 and 1710 Larger view		Jar with a plug 1775-1785 Larger view