An Early View of Bilbao Joins the Museum of Fine Arts Collection

The Museum of Fine Arts of Bilbao has recently added to its collection a work of great historical value: View of Bilbao (circa 1700), an anonymous oil painting that represents the earliest known pictorial view of the city. The piece, acquired from the Madrid gallery DELAMANO Old Masters, is now on display for the first time as part of the exhibition “Ataria (bat)”.

Measuring 208 x 272 centimeters, the large canvas depicts the city and its port activity with remarkable precision, capturing the Old Quarter and Bilbao La Vieja—shown here for the first time in an artwork—along with recognizable landmarks such as the Town Hall, the Basilica of Begoña, and the Church of San Antón, as well as several now-lost buildings.

The scene also includes a falua associated with British merchant John Seale, who settled in Bilbao in the late 17th century and was involved in the cod trade. The painting remained in the Seale family’s possession in the United Kingdom for generations, until its recent identification by DELAMANO Old Masters.

From Discovery to the Museum

The discovery began at an international auction, where specialists from the gallery, working from a low-resolution image, recognized the uniqueness of the work and its potential importance for the city’s visual history.

Once acquired, the painting was brought to Spain and examined by Miguel Zugaza, director of the Museum of Fine Arts of Bilbao, who was the first to see it in person.

Zugaza noted the innovative nature of the composition, which presents a mirrored view of both banks of the Nervión River, positioning the waterway as the central axis of the scene.

Following this initial assessment, the museum’s team of conservators and historians carried out an in-depth study confirming that the painting dates from between the late 17th and early 18th centuries, making it the oldest painted view of Bilbao known to date.

According to José de la Mano, director and founder of the gallery, “this painting represents a crucial visual testimony of Bilbao’s past, and its acquisition by the Museum of Fine Arts ensures its preservation and scholarly study for future generations.”

About DELAMANO Old Masters

Founded in 1994 by José de la Mano, DELAMANO Old Masters specializes in Spanish Old Master painting, with a focus on works on paper from the 16th to the 18th centuries.
The gallery has collaborated with major national and international museums, including the Museo Nacional del Prado, the Louvre, the Ashmolean Museum, the Museu Nacional de Arte Antiga, the British Museum, the Getty Museum, the Hispanic Society, the Morgan Library, the Meadows Museum, the Cleveland Museum of Art, and the Detroit Institute of Arts.

A regular participant in fairs such as Master Drawings London, Fine Arts Paris, London Art Week, and the Salon du Dessin (Paris), the gallery is recognized for its rigorous research and expert collaborations.
In recent years, DELAMANO Old Masters has also developed a line of research devoted to recovering and promoting the work of Spanish women artists overlooked by art history.

De la Mano holds a PhD in Art History from the Complutense University of Madrid, has taught at the Autonomous University of Madrid, and is a corresponding member of the Reial Acadèmia de Belles Arts de Sant Jordi.

The discovery and study of View of Bilbao (circa 1700) enrich our understanding of the city’s evolution while highlighting the essential role that specialized galleries play in the recovery and preservation of Spain’s artistic heritage.