LEGADO DE CASA DE ALBA: patronage to public display

Private collectors’ goal, since the very beginning of this activity, has been the exhibition of their pieces at public institutions, which contributes with values to the heritage gathered for years. This is when the themes of a collection can be clearly organized, the connection between certain pieces can be identified, and where the threads that make up the whole from a conceptual approach are weaved.

An illustrious collection, Casa de Alba Foundation’s, with the collaboration of the City Hall and the Community of Madrid, organized for December 2012 an ambitious exhibition: El Legado Casa de Alba. Mecenazgo al servicio del arte, to be open through March 2013 at CentroCentro cultural complex, Palacio de Cibeles. The showcase includes some 150 artworks –most of them come from Palacio de Liria– among paintings, sculptures, historic documents and manuscripts, archaeological pieces, jewels, furniture or costumes.

This is the first that Casa de Alba Foundation puts on the map such a vast set of pieces, many of which hasn’t been previously exhibited. Some artworks turn out to be truly paradigmatic, such as La duquesa de Alba de blanco, painted by Francisco de Goya in 1795, Virgen de la Granada, by Fra Angelico, as well as other works created by Tiziano, Murillo, Ingres, Renoir, Rubens, Ribera, Zurbaran and Zuloaga, among others.

"The idea is to share the artworks and pieces that make up Casa de Alba Foundation’ collection with viewers that understand culture and history. This exhibition represents an opportunity to shed light on different works and documents that have survived the ups and downs of history and constitute the most important treasure of our family’s legacy. It’s also an extraordinary opportunity to develop an awareness of the constant and silent maintenance and preservation work carried out by Casa de Alba for centuries ", D. Carlos Fitz-James Stuart y Martinez de Irujo, duke de Huescar, pointed out.

The Mayoress of Madrid, Ana Botella, underlined during the presentation that the City Hall had never faced a project of such scope in terms of the artistic and cultural sphere, the result of a new non-profitmaking model of collaboration agreement between the Public Administration and a private cultural entity.

AxE News will keep you posted on the activities related to this exhibition.

Source: Press release