The Discovery of Spain exhibits over 130 works from the Spanish art collections in Great Britain

Paintings by Velázquez, Zurbarán, Murillo and El Greco are featured in the exhibition, organised by the gallery in collaboration with the Spanish Department of Culture

The Spanish Department of Culture, through the Department of Cultural Policy and Industries, is collaborating on the organisation of an exhibition devoted to Spanish culture, which opens tomorrow, Saturday 18 July, at the National Gallery in Edinburgh (Scotland). The Discovery of Spain is one of the National Gallery’s main exhibitions scheduled to coincide with the Edinburgh International Festival.

Over 130 works (paintings, watercolours, photographs…) explore the interest in Spain’s architecture, fashion and painting during the period between 1800 and 1930, in which Spanish culture became a point of reference and source of inspiration for numerous British artists and collectors.

The Discovery of Spain is exhibiting a selection of works which are representative of the Spanish art Collection in Great Britain, which is considered to be the best selection of Golden Age Spanish painting outside Spain. In addition to works belonging to the National Gallery of Edinburgh, such as The Old Woman Frying Eggs by Velázquez, the exhibition includes significant loans from other institutions: A Spanish Gentleman by Velázquez, from Apsley House; Saint Francis in Meditation by Zurbarán, belonging to the National Gallery of London; The Lady in a Fur Wrap by El Greco, from the Pollock House collection, and The Flower Girl by Murillo from the Dulwich Picture Gallery, among others.

The exhibition, which will be open to the public between 18 July and 11 October, is divided into the following sections: Goya’s times, The Landscape and the Picturesque, Dreaming of the South: Muslim Spain, The British Discovery of the Spanish Golden Age, The Tribute to Velázquez, Light and Colour and British Artists and the Civil War.

The Discovery of Spain was commissioned by Christopher Baker, deputy director at the National Gallery of Scotland, with the collaboration of the curators David Howarth (University of Edinburgh) and Paul Stirton (University of Glasgow). Furthermore, the exhibition catalogue constitutes a significant contribution to the study of Hispanic-British cultural relations since it includes essays written by various specialists.

The Department of Culture is also participating in the extensive programme of activities linked to the exhibition, by scheduling a concert Instrumental Music from Velázquez’s Time, to be performed by the group La Folía, on 22 July at the National Gallery. A big international conference is also scheduled for October, to address the issues raised by the exhibition.