Spanish Paintings

about the project

The collection of Spanish paintings is currently being researched and catalogued in order to ensure its preservation and visibility in the Rijksmuseum. It includes 13 works by some of the most important names in Spanish art history, such as Bartolomé Esteban Murillo, Juan Carreño de Miranda and Francisco de Goya. Technical analysis, performed for the first time, together with extensive art historical research, will help narrow down our knowledge of the collection and ultimately reach a better understanding of its value. Although small in number, the Spanish paintings held at the Rijksmuseum are essential to the international character of the institution.

Aim of the project

The research will result in the online publication of a collection catalogue of the Spanish paintings. The catalogue will include extensive entries on each of the 13 paintings, from the earliest works in the collection, dating from around 1500, to the latest, the Portrait of Don Ramón Satué by Francisco de Goya, dated 1823.

Related publications

• P. van Vliet, 'Spaanse schilderijen in het Rijksmuseum, afkomstig van schenkingen van Koning Willem I', Bulletin van het Rijksmuseum 14 (1966), pp. 131-149

Related projects

• The evolution of preparations for painting on canvas in sixteenth and seventeenth century Spain – Museo Nacional del Prado
• Restoration of Portrait by Prince Balthasar Carlos, attributed to Juan Bautista Martínez del Mazo, from the UK Royal Collection – Hamilton Kerr Institute
• Murillo, The Prodigal Son Restored – National Gallery of Ireland
• Conservation Project: Prince Baltasar Carlos in the Riding School by the Studio of Velázquez – The Wallace Collection