First Lady of Antiquity
Occupied since the Paleolithic era, the Iberian Peninsula abounds in the vestiges left by populations that joined the Iberians, first Celtic, then Phoenician, Greek and Carthaginian. Among the earliest testimonies found in Spain, the Lady of Elche sheds light on the way of life of her era. This limestone female bust from the5th century B.C. is striking for the balanced proportions of its face, reflecting the strong influence of Greek art. However, her jewelry and tunic are a perfect example of Iberian dress. A cavity in her posterior was probably used to store relics. Whether goddess, queen or deceased, she remains the centerpiece of the National Archaeological Museum, founded in 1867 by Queen Isabella II. Alongside her are Iberian sculptures, Roman mosaics and Visigoth, Hispano-Muslim and medieval remains.
Birth of Spanish painting
The manuscripts illuminated by Mozarabic monks in the 10th century are the first known manifestations of Spanish painting. In the 11th and 12th centuries, mural frescoes became widespread in churches. Characterized by the absence of perspective and the rigidity of the figures, it reveals details that make it specifically Spanish. During the Gothic period, the work of artists on altarpieces in religious buildings was enriched by outside influences. In Castile, French influence spread from the 14th century onwards, followed in the 15th century by Italian influence. Perspective became more precise and the human body more glorious. In Valencia, Fernando de Llanos introduced Leonardo da Vinci's technique. This paved the way for the dramatic intensity and sumptuousness of 16th-century paintings.
The Golden Age
A Cretan trained in the Venetian school, El Greco arrived in Spain in 1570, and his work marked a high point in European art at the turn of the century. Steeped in the works of Titian and Tintoretto, El Greco mastered shapes and colors to perfection. His technical skill gave his paintings an expressive, spiritual quality. In addition to his Trinity, Spanish art of the 16th and 17th centuries is represented by Ribera's The Martyrdom of Saint Philip , Zurbarán's Saint Elizabeth of Portugal and Murillo's The Immaculate Conception.
As elsewhere, Greco-Roman mythology was used in Spain as a pretext for showing nudity. The stories of gods and heroes enabled nude scenes to be painted that morality would otherwise have condemned. Thus, Velázquez, born in 1599, two generations after El Greco, treated mythological themes with the intention of questioning the notion of power. As an official painter at the court of Philip IV, Velázquez demonstrated an unprecedented talent. In The Menines, he manages to include himself in an ordinary scene of palace life through a play of mirrors. Velázquez makes two trips to Italy. During this period, links between painters of different European schools were growing closer and exchanges were multiplying. Many of his paintings are held by the Prado Museum. The Prado also owns a thousand sculptures, including a Greco-Roman collection, and several thousand drawings and prints. The list of great masters in the collection initiated by the Habsburgs and Bourbons is staggering: Goya, Bosch, Raphael, Titian, Botticelli, Dürer, Caravaggio, Veronese, Watteau, Poussin, El Greco, to name but a few.
Goya or history live
In the 18th century, when the creative spirit was running out, one great master dominated: Francisco de Goya y Lucientes (1746-1828). He painted official portraits of Charles IV and his family, as well as historical dramas such as El dos de mayo and El tres de mayo (1814), which became symbols of Spanish resistance against the French in the War of Independence. Thanks to Goya's paintings The Shootings and The Charge of the Mamelukes, we witness the May 1808 insurrection of the Madrilenians against Napoleonic troops. The artist revolutionizes the historical genre by capturing the moment in the manner of a photographer. In so doing, his grandiose talent laid the foundations for the visual art of modern times.
At the end of the 18th century, King Charles III ordered the construction of an almost two-kilometre long promenade, lined with trees, monuments and majestic palaces. Now known as the Promenade de l'art, it offers a breathtaking journey through the world of art, with its three must-see pinacotheques.
The modern era
At the turn of the 20th century, leading representatives of the cultural life of the time, such as Jacinto Benavente and Carlos Arniches, were part of the management of the Círculo de Bellas Artes, while the young Picasso took painting classes there and Ramón María del Valle-Inclán frequented its salons. Located in the heart of the city, this multi-disciplinary center, known for its support of the avant-garde, now hosts events combining photography, the visual arts, literature, science, philosophy, cinema and the performing arts.
At the beginning of the 20th century, a wave of Spanish artists headed for Paris, a capital prized for its bohemian spirit. These artists from Madrid, Barcelona and the Basque country were to play a key role in the emergence and development of modern art. The leading figure was Pablo Picasso, who moved to Paris in 1904. He shook up the history of art with his incessant questioning and ability to metamorphose reality.
Among the great Spanish names of the modern era are cubist painter Juan Gris, who settled in Paris in 1907; Julio González, sculptor; Juan Miró, painter-sculptor with a poetic soul; and Salvador Dalí, prince of provocation and staging.
The Civil War and el Paso
The government of the Republic saw the 1937 Paris World's Fair as an opportunity for propaganda. In a bid to assert its modernity in the eyes of the world, Spain brought together all its artistic avant-garde in its pavilion. In addition to the monumental Guernica, a cubist work by Picasso denouncing the bombing of the city of the same name, the Reina Sofia National Museum and Art Center conserves some of the works exhibited in the Spanish pavilion. Other artists denounced the Spanish Civil War, such as Salvador Dali and his surrealist painting of a disarticulated figure, Premonition of the Civil War, begun in 1935. It's worth remembering that Madrid was one of the last bastions to surrender.
The 1950s and 1960s saw the advent of a new generation of artists, who would not be recognized in Spain until after Franco's death. The innovative "El Paso" group, formed in Madrid, expressed itself in many fields: from social criticism to pop art and neo-realism. Its representatives (Antonio Saura, Manuel Millares and Manuel Rivera, among others) introduced both fabric and metal into their paintings. For their part, painters Juan Genovés and Rafael Canogar asserted a pop language critical of Franco's regime.
Photography, another witness to his era, tells a parallel story. Portraits of crowned heads coexist with images of peasants denouncing poverty. It also recounts the causes defended by militants right up to the Civil War. Since its beginnings, Spanish photography has liked to play with the codes of painting: hyperrealism, surrealism or expressionism (Josep Renau). Antoni Arissa's experiments in the 1920s and 1930s are particularly noteworthy.
La Movida
The censorship imposed by Franco since 1939 collapsed overnight as Juan Carlos I restored democracy. Accompanied by an economic miracle, the breath of liberation shook the early 1980s, particularly in the Malasaña district and Calle del Pez. Some well-preserved graffiti can still be found in these alleys. The revival of nightlife was reflected in the development of cultural and festive venues, bars and art galleries. In the same vein, the saturated-toned images of Madrid photographer Ouka Leele inspire the younger generation. For art lovers, the Bárbara de Braganza room at the Mapfre Foundation is entirely devoted to photography.
Born in 1956, Alberto García-Alix is one of the leading Spanish photographers of the 1980s. His sensitive work has documented the underground, nightlife, rock and porn like no other. His black-and-white portraits of "his buddies" make him an essential witness to the Movida. Awarded the Prix National de la Photographie in 1999, his work is exhibited worldwide.
For his part, Chema Conesa, born in 1952, photographs contemporary Spanish personalities to create a pictorial biography of his country. Photographer Ramon Masats, founder of the La Palangana collective, was awarded the PhotoEspaña 2014 prize for his role in "the professionalization of Spanish photography and his great influence on subsequent generations of photographers".
The blossoming of street art
Following in the footsteps of the wild Movida explosion, Madrid's graffiti artists continue the tradition of brightening up the streets. To spot these sometimes ephemeral works, it's best to stroll through Madrid's cosmopolitan and popular neighborhoods, such as Lavapiès. Calle de los Embajadores is considered the most emblematic street for urban art. Graffiti, frescoes or tags, urban artists take over walls, shop windows and bus shelters alike. The imagination of Madrilenians is expressed even on azulejo street name plaques and store iron curtains. Surreal, naïve or committed, they leave no one indifferent. Down Calle Argumosa, La Tabacalera is the unofficial temple of street art. Housed in a former tobacco factory, it was undergoing renovation (for at least a few months) when we visited in autumn 2023. It's worth noting that in 2014, the city launched the "Muros" project designed to liven up the walls in this area. Among the graffiti is that of Suso 33, a famous Madrid artist who has moved from the streets to museums.
To round off this cultural exploration of Madrid, the Casa Encendida social and cultural center supports young creative artists, while offering educational activities for the general public. In summer, its terrace houses an open-air cinema and a bar with a unique view of Madrid.
