Treasures from the House of Alba: 500 Years of Art and Collecting

The Casa de Alba has been one of the most important aristocratic lineages in Europe for more than five hundred years, standing out not only for its military, political and social relevance, but also for its cultural patronage and its art collection. “Treasures of the Casa de Alba: 500 Years of Art and Collecting” presents some of the best examples of this tradition, from the 15th and 16th centuries to the end of the 20th century, in a show of continuity unparalleled in other major European collections.

Currently, the Casa de Alba preserves its collections of paintings, sculptures, antiques, furniture, tapestries and all kinds of decorative art in three splendid historic palaces: the Liria Palace in Madrid, the Las Dueñas Palace in Seville and the Monterrey Palace in Salamanca. These three buildings house thousands of pieces signed by artists such as Fra Angelico, Tiziano, Van Gogh, Goya, Rubens, Rembrandt, Renoir, and others. The exhibition shows a selection of works by these artists, who for the first time leave Spain and are grouped together in a way that explains the historical development of the family and the collection from the end of the 15th century to the present, with more than 130 objects.

The exhibition is presented thematically, marking significant periods of collecting in the history of the Casa de Alba. Among the outstanding sections are: “Knights, Soldiers, Courtiers: The Grand Duke of Alba at the Service of the Monarchy”, centered on Don Fernando Álvarez de Toledo, third Duke of Alba, and a central figure of the 16th century; “Magnificence and Power: The Baroque Collection of the Casa de Alba in the Golden Age”, related to the families of Monterrey, Veragua and Carpio, which includes important documents of Christopher Columbus and a fine Flemish tapestry; “Stuart-Berwick-Alba: The Union of Two European Lineages in the 18th Century”, which presents portraits and works of the union of the Stuart and Bourbon families with the Alba families; and “Francisco de Goya and the Duchess of Alba”, which focuses on Doña Teresa Cayetana and her relationship with Goya, as well as changes in the family.

The “European Collection of Carlos Miguel Fitz-James Stuart, Duke of Berwick and Alba” section includes outstanding works by Jusepe de Ribera and Anton Raphael Mengs. Another important section is “Sevilla-Paris-Madrid: The Empress Eugenia de Montijo and the House of Alba”, which reflects Eugenia de Montijo's taste for a romantic image of Spain and the Neo-Baroque style. The last section, “Great Portraits and the Contemporary Collection: Jacobo Fitz-James, 17th Duke of Alba, his Daughter Cayetana, 18th Duchess of Alba and the Arts”, includes modern acquisitions and the reconstruction of the Liria Palace.

This exhibition is co-organized by the Meadows Museum and the Casa de Alba Foundation, with the support of several foundations and sponsors.