The Villena Museum has recently received a deposit of a set of works from the Prado Museum, thus helping to strengthen the identity and connection of the museum in Alicante with the exhibited pieces, both by the authors and the themes represented.
Among the deposited works stand out “Saint John the Baptist as a Child” and “Saint Augustine Distributing the Wealth of the Rich Among the Poor”, both by José García Hidalgo, and a portrait of Isabel II made in the 19th century. This portrait follows the iconographic model introduced by Federico de Madrazo, showing the queen with the attributes of her sovereignty, such as the scepter and the royal crown resting on a cushion. The work, which is in a sketch state, allows for a clear observation of the nervous and fast brushstrokes in the preparation and design of the ornamental elements. This portrait completes the Chronological Series of the Kings of Spain, a collection of portraits of monarchs from the Iberian Peninsula from the Visigothic period to Isabel II, promoted by José de Madrazo, director of the Prado Museum between 1838 and 1857.
The first two paintings will be presented at the inaugural exhibition “José García Hidalgo (Villena 1645 – Madrid 1717). Pictor regis, engraver and theorist of Spanish baroque”, which will open its doors on June 14th. The exhibition will also include “Lamentation”, a work from the Guillén Sierra family, and a drawing booklet created in 1690 by García Hidalgo titled “Principles to study the most noble and royal art of painting”, which was recently acquired by the Villena Museum. This treatise gave him more prestige and fame than his pictorial works.
With this exhibition, visitors will be able to admire for the first time in Villena a series of works that increase the visibility, access, and dissemination of the collections of the artist from Villena, who became a painter for King Carlos II.
The project has been made possible thanks to the collaboration of the National Prado Museum, within the “Extended Prado” program. This program involves more than two hundred and seventy institutions and aims to strengthen the relationships with these entities through the construction of exhibition discourses and the training of heritage professionals that make up their teams. Currently, a total of 111 cultural assets loaned by the National Prado Museum can be enjoyed by the public in seven institutions located in the Valencian Community.
via: MiMub in Spanish
