La Buenaventura - Julio Romero de Torres
Carmen Thyssen-Bornemisza, one of the world's foremost art collectors, now has her own eponymous museum in Malaga, which opened in March 2011. The paintings are from her personal collection, amassed over the past 30 years.
The permanent collection consists of 230 works, mainly by 19th-century Spanish artists, with most of the subject matter being, unsurprisingly, Andalucia: Cordoba, Malaga, Sevilla. The most famous painters whose works feature in this collection are Zurbaran, Sorolla, Zuloaga, and Romero Torres.
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| The internal Patio of the Museum |
It is divided into four sections: Maestros Antiguos (Old Masters), Paisaje Romantico y Costumbrismo (Romantic Landscape and Costumbrism), Preciosismo y Paisaje Naturalista (Preciocism and Naturalistic Landscape), and Fin de Siglio (End of Century).
You can see many landmarks or scenes (patios, bullrings, processions) which have changed very little, which tells you something about Andalucia: plenty of places and events are still as they were nearly two centuries ago. The Baroness herself described the collection, at the museum's inauguration, as "the most essential part of Spanish history. You'll feel what is Andalucia."
However, not all of the art is Andalucian, or even Spanish - indeed, one of the most important pieces is a simple 13th-century Italian statue of Christ which is displayed to spectacular effect on a bare white wall. This minimalistic style is striking in that it concentrates your attention on the work, rather than being distracted by elaborate carved or gilted wood, as in most churches; Christ appears exquisitely small and vulnerable.
Temporary exhibitions in the first year have included De Picasso a Tàpies. Pintura española del siglo XX en la Colección Carmen Thyssen-Bornemisza (From Picasso to Tapies. Spanish 20th-century painting in the Carmen Thyssen-Bornemisza Collection), and La tradición moderna en la Colección Carmen Thyssen. Monet, Picasso, Matisse, Miró (Modern Tradition in the Carmen Thyssen Collection: Monet, Picasso, Matisse and Miro), which has art painted from 1890 to 1960. In the future, it's hoped that some exhibitions will transfer to this museum from the main Thyssen museum in Madrid.
There are also short themed mini-exhibitions with complementary movie screenings and live performances, such as flamenco. Other activities include summer programmes for children, family days, and events related to major local festivals such as Semana Santa and the Malaga Feria.
The home of the museum, the Palacio de Villalon is a beautiful 16th-century palace with a traditional colonnaded patio, whose refurbishment cost 20 million euros.
The Carmen Thyssen Museum
Entrance Fees
Main museum only: 6 euros (over 12 years old); 3.50 euros reduced fee for pensioners, unemployed, students aged under 26, and familias numerosas (large families, ie with three or more children).
Temporary exhibitions: 4 euros, 2.50 reduced fee (see above).
Joint ticket (main museum and temporary exhibition): 8 euros; 4.50 reduced fee (see above).
Students and Málaga city residents: 4.50 euros
Opening Hours
Tues - Sun: 10am - 8pm
Mon: closed (except holidays)
Location
Calle Compañia 10, 29008 Malaga. Tel 902 303131
For information on the museum’s temporary exhibitions, check out the culture section of our events listing.
Min: 20C