Time travel through five centuries of Spanish Art
By Jeff Britton | SDUN Art Reviewer
Time travel is in vogue. In Woody Allen’s latest runaway hit film, “Midnight in Paris,” his protagonist merrily cavorts with some of the greatest artists of the early 20th century.
Two of those artists—Pablo Picasso and Salvador Dalí—are featured in San Diego Museum of Art’s own adventure in time travel: “From El Greco to Dalí” spans five centuries in a rich survey of Spanish art from the Old Masters to the Avant Garde.
The 64 magnificent paintings are from the Juan Antonio Perez Simon Collection. A native of Asturias, in Spain, Simon has lived most of his life and acquired his fortune in Mexico, collecting thousands of works of art. He also maintains a home in San Diego and due to his love of this city, San Diego will be the show’s only U.S. venue.
This exhibition connects SDMA’s permanent collection with works on loan from collections such as the Prado in Madrid, the Musee d’Orsay in Paris and the National Gallery in London. It was previously shown at the Musee Jacquemart-Andree in Paris and the National Museum of Fine Arts in Quebec City.
As you enter the exhibit, you are struck by the wide array of deeply devout Catholic paintings from the 15th and 16th centuries. El Greco’s “Head of Christ,” its translucent eyes heavenward is followed by his mystical “Annunciation,” which has an ethereal dancing quality to its figures. Borras’ exquisite “Virgin of the Milk” depicts her tenderly nursing the Christ child. Opposite is Tovar’s “The Divine Shepherdess,” a gorgeous turquoise cloak wrapped around her shoulders bedecked in a wool garment that cleverly matches the innocent animals she tends.
Murillo’s “St. John the Baptist” as a young shepherd features a muted scarlet cape over his modest cloak. An amazing oil on wood triptych by Vasquez presents the crucifix-Christ. Other artists like Ribera and Corte are inspired by other Biblical stories in reverent tones of brown, black and white.
Two large paintings show large public gatherings in Madrid’s Plaza Mayor. A religious proclamation by the king and a bullfighting festival suggest the two poles of Spanish art: the sacred and the profane.
Forgive me as I scuttle past still-lifes and elegant portraits of Spain’s merry or not-so-merry monarchs. Though quite magnificent, I prefer to focus on the bright pastels of the Valencian artist Sorolla.
His oxen in the sea study is surpassed only by a lovely little gem of the Basque fishing port of San Sebastian and a larger beauty, “Morning Sun,” a peak at the seaside life of Valencia. Alas, its pendant, “Evening Sun,” was destroyed during the Spanish Civil War.
I lingered in an entire gallery devoted to Sorolla, obviously one of Perez Simon’s favorite painters. You appreciate how the French impressionists were beholden to him.
Most exotic is Torres’ “Portrait of a Lady,” her dark penetrating Andalusian eyes full of the gypsy influence of southern Spain. In contrast is Camarasa’s vivid technicolor ode to an elegantly dressed market fair in Valencia.
Space limitations preclude mentioning so many other worthwhile paintings, so onto the 20th century we go. Soak in the majesty of Catalan painters Picasso (six works, some from his pre-cubist period), Miro (three splendid examples) and an abstract still-life by Juan Gris.
Topping it off are eight masterworks by the surrealist madman, Dalí. Ever the jokester, his two-part “Galas Christ” is designed to be viewed through the mirrored box, making it appear to be a triptych. “The Tuna Hunt” is classic Dalí, ribboned with blood against alabaster bodies, yet irresistibly beautiful in its overall composition.
This exhibition is one of the finest presented at SDMA in recent memory and, with San Diego’s Spanish heritage, marked by names like Cabrillo, Balboa and Coronado, it is a fitting tribute to the city.
“El Greco to Dali”: Great Spanish Masters from the Perez Simon Collection continues through Nov. 6 at the San Diego Museum of Art in Balboa Park. For more information, call (619) 232-7931 or visit ElGrecoToDali.com.
