If you are planning a trip to Spain, then you probably want to get acquainted with the history and culture of this country. In many cities here you can find a variety of museums, galleries and exhibition salons, each of which, of course, deserves attention. The most famous Spanish museums are the Thyssen-Bornemisza Gallery, the Prado and, of course, the Picasso Museum.
However, if you cannot afford an expensive ticket, the Valencia Museum is exactly what you need. This is a unique cultural institution, where the "cream" of world painting is collected.
The Museum of Fine Arts of Valencia is one of the few places where you can see the originals of the works of the greatest masters for free. This is a kind of cultural island that attracts the public and seeks to show it a piece of the great variety of famous works of famous painters. Here are collected works by titans such as El Greco, Diego Velazquez, Peter Brueghel, Bartolome Murillo and many others.
History of the Museum of Fine Arts of Valencia
The house of the works of such famous masters was the old building of the former seminary. It was built in the XVII century and more than once changed its purpose. The educational institution was a house of mercy, a military depot, a cadet academy, and even a hospital.
At the end of the 18th century, prerequisites appeared for creating a collection of paintings. By decree of Charles III, the best works of teachers and students of the seminary were collected. Of course, then they could not even imagine that two centuries later one of the most significant expositions in all of Spain will be collected here. The museum has been considered officially open since 1839, it was in that year that the Museum of Fine Arts of Valencia was opened for free access.
The seminary building received its current purpose after the Second World War. Since 1946, the Museum of Fine Arts of Valencia officially operates here. Miraculously, the building survived after numerous bombings, which cannot be said about the church adjacent to it. However, it was soon restored.
Museum during the war years
At the height of the fighting, Valencia became the headquarters for the ruling elite of the country. At the same time, part of the exposition of the Prado Museum was also transported to this city of Spain, not yet touched by war. The Museum of Fine Arts of Valencia has preserved priceless examples of world painting.
After this, the El Prado collection was transported to other cities for several years until it returned to its rightful place.
The building itself deserves special attention. It is made in the Baroque style, passing to classicism. Two rectangular towers on the sides of the hull create the illusion of an air castle. The facade of the building is decorated with stucco, rather restrained, but elegant. Antique windows and flat-roof decorations fully retain the true sense of the era.
Paintings
In total there are more than 2,000 exhibits of various genres and eras. In a great variety of examples of the Gothic style, as well as engravings. However, the latter are not always available for viewing. This is due to the high sensitivity of old engravings to climatic conditions. Therefore, the museum staff creates the most favorable conditions for their preservation, showing the public only at periodic exhibitions.
The earliest examples of the Valencia Museum of Fine Arts exposition date back to the 14th century. These are paintings by Hackomart, who became one of the founders of Valencia painting.
The most famous exhibits
The Museum of Fine Arts of Valencia is famous for some world famous paintings. The first of them is the famous work of Diego Velazquez - "Self-portrait". His style was characterized by extreme realism and psychologism, which in the picture is expressed in the look. That is why Velazquez received the nickname "Mirror of Life." He was the only artist who had the right to depict the royal family in his paintings. And it became the true heritage of Spain, which will be alive for all centuries.
The next is the canvas of El Greco "John the Baptist." This artist, by contrast, was not close to the king. The religious city of Toledo became its abode. Perhaps partly this determined the direction of his paintings. Most of them are devoted specifically to biblical subjects and characters.
The uniqueness of Francisco Goya's "Blindfold Game" is that it was written on cardboard. At that time, the master began work at the tapestry factory and created sketches. One of them has become a world famous painting, which is now kept in the Museum of Fine Arts of Valencia.
Other expositions
In addition to the legendary works of masters of Spanish painting, contemporary authors can also be seen in the museum. A separate room here is dedicated to the exposition of sculptures and archaeological finds. Therefore, it can be argued that the museum carries not only aesthetic, but also historical significance for Spain.
The exposition of altars created back in the 14th – 15th centuries by Alcans and Pere Nicolau deserves special attention.
All visitors leave deliciously positive reviews for the Museum of Fine Arts in Valencia. This is due to both the richness of the exposition and its accessibility for any person.