Exquisite Renaissance and Baroque Masterpieces by El Greco, Velázquez, and Zurbarán Travel to the Milwaukee Art Museum in May

MILWAUKEE, WI—February 4, 2025—Renaissance and Baroque masterpieces from the most significant collection of Hispanic art outside of Spain travel to the Milwaukee Art Museum this spring for The Brilliance of the Spanish World: El Greco, Velázquez, Zurbarán. Drawn from the collection of the Hispanic Society Museum & Library, the exhibition features more than 50 works of art by influential Hispanic artists of the era and will be on view May 2–July 27, 2025, in Baker/Rowland Galleries.

“We’re honored to partner with the Hispanic Society Museum & Library to bring this exhibition of Renaissance and Baroque treasures to the Midwest,” said Marcelle Polednik, PhD, Donna and Donald Baumgartner Director.

In the 16th and 17th centuries, Spain established the first worldwide empire through exploration and colonial conquest, generating wealth that led to the flourishing of art and literature. This exhibition offers a glimpse into this era of artistic ambition and cultural complexity and showcases its artistic legacy with paintings by El Greco, Diego Velázquez, and Bartolomé Esteban Murillo, as well as works by artists working in the Spanish Americas.

The Brilliance of the Spanish World continues the Museum’s tradition of presenting high caliber European art exhibitions, such as Art, Life, Legacy (2023); A Modern Vision (2019); and Bouguereau & America (2019). It provides Midwestern audiences an unparalleled opportunity to experience a concentrated collection of remarkable Renaissance and Baroque paintings by Hispanic artists. Among its roster of renowned artists is Francisco de Zurbarán, whose Saint Francis of Assisi in His Tomb (1630/34) defined the ambitious course of the Milwaukee Art Museum’s own European collection.

“The Zurbarán continues to be a centerpiece of the Museum’s collection, awing visitors since its acquisition in 1958,” said Tanya Paul, Isabel and Alfred Bader Curator of European Art. “I’m delighted to bring to our audiences an extraordinary exhibition, which includes paintings by Zurbarán as well as amazing artists visitors may not have encountered before, that will build upon and expand the stories we’re able to share about this significant period in Spanish art history.”

The exhibition showcases a breadth of paintings from the vividly secular to the profoundly religious created in service of the Roman Catholic faith, whether in Spain or its many colonies. Highlights include:

• Saint Jerome by El Greco (Doménikos Theotokópoulos), ca. 1600. This painting portrays the quintessential early Christian saint holding a crucifix, with books, a skull, and an hourglass before him—all in the artist’s recognizable Mannerist style.
• Gaspar de Guzmán, Count-Duke of Olivares by Diego Velázquez, ca. 1625–1626. This magisterial portrait depicts one of the most influential figures of his day and emphasizes the vast power he wielded.
• Saint Emerentiana by Francisco de Zurbarán, ca. 1635–1640. This painting portrays the saint holding a book and stones—the instruments of her martyrdom—in a likeness marked by Zurbarán’s mastery of sculptural form and the depiction of elaborate textiles.
• The Wedding at Canna by Nicolás de Correa, 1696. This is an enconchado that illustrates the biblical story in which Jesus miraculously makes wine from water at a wedding he attends. A unique art form developed in the Spanish colonies in the late 17th century, enconchados are paintings on wood panels inlaid with shells and iridescent mother-of-pearl.
• The Prodigal Son Among the Swine by Bartolomé Esteban Murillo, 1656–1665. This painting depicts the biblical parable of the Prodigal Son in which a young man begs for forgiveness after squandering his inheritance. This subject was especially relevant as Southern Spain experienced widespread suffering due to plague and famine during Murillo’s lifetime.

Programs such as gallery talks and curator-led tours will bring the stories of these subjects to life and highlight achievements from this period in Hispanic history. Shortly after the exhibition opens, the Museum will host Spanish Baroque art scholar and curator Rebecca Long on Thursday, May 15, for a lecture about the art and life of El Greco.

The Brilliance of the Spanish World: El Greco, Velázquez, Zurbarán was curated by Guillaume Kientz, Director and CEO of the Hispanic Society Museum & Library. Its Milwaukee Art Museum presentation was organized by Tanya Paul, Isabel and Alfred Bader Curator of European Art.

This exhibition was organized by the Hispanic Society Museum & Library, with support from The Museum Box.

Sponsors

Leadership Sponsors
Collectors’ Corner, Inc.
Milwaukee Art Museum’s Friends of Art
Carl & Marilynn Thoma Foundation

Supporting Sponsors
Bob and Judy Scott
Wendy Sleight

Contributing Sponsors
Jon and Colleen Bassindale
Anthony and Andrea Bryant

Media Sponsor
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Supported by Travel Wisconsin

The Milwaukee Art Museum extends its sincere thanks to the Visionaries
Mark and Debbie Attanasio
Donna and Donald Baumgartner
Murph Burke
The Helmerich Trust
Kenneth and Alice Kayser
Joan Lubar and John Crouch
Joel and Caran Quadracci
Sue and Bud Selig
Jeff and Gail Yabuki

About the Milwaukee Art Museum

The Milwaukee Art Museum is an essential destination for art and architecture and a vital cultural resource that connects visitors to dynamic art experiences and one another. Housed in iconic buildings by Santiago Calatrava, Eero Saarinen, and David Kahler on a 24-acre lakefront campus, the Museum is Wisconsin’s largest art institution and home to both broad and deep collections, with exceptional holdings in American painting, sculpture, and decorative arts; conceptual and minimalist art; prints and drawings; European art from the Renaissance through the nineteenth century; photography and new media; modern and contemporary design; folk and self-taught art; and twentieth-century Haitian art. A bold symbol of Milwaukee’s ambition and forward-thinking vision, the Museum is a place for community building, education, and celebration that fosters creativity, free speech, and critical discourse for audiences of all ages and backgrounds. For more information, visit mam.org.

About the Hispanic Society Museum & Library

The Hispanic Society Museum & Library (HSM&L) is the primary institution and reference library dedicated solely to the preservation, study, understanding, exhibition, and enjoyment of art and cultures of Portuguese- and Spanish-speaking countries and communities. Located in Upper Manhattan in the dynamic Washington Heights neighborhood, the institution has, since its inception, remained free of charge, providing unrivaled access to the most extensive collection of Hispanic art and literature outside of Spain and Latin America.

The HSM&L’s permanent collection is unparalleled in its scope and quality, with half a million items that address nearly every aspect of cultures in Spain, Portugal, and Latin America from antiquity to present day. HSM&L is unmatched in the multidisciplinarity and broad historical and geographical extension of its art collection and library, highlighting Hispanic art and cultures’ incredible breadth as seen through its diverse religious, cultural, and geographical influences. The collection includes masterworks by El Greco, Velázquez, Rodríguez Juárez, Goya, Campeche, Arrieta, Sorolla, Orozco, and Tàpies; sculptures by Pedro de Mena, Luisa Roldán, and Caspicara; and masterpieces in all areas of the decorative arts. The collections of the Department of Manuscripts and Rare Books are among the most extensive outside Spain and the Library is available as a preeminent center for research on the history, art, and cultures of the Hispanic world. It is open to the public by appointment.

Founded in 1904 by American scholar, philanthropist, and collector Archer M. Huntington, the HSM&L was established on the premise of a passion and curiosity for Hispanic and Latin American art, cultures, and history. While the HSM&L is one of the most historic cultural institutions in New York City, the organization has continued to adapt and serve the local community and growing Hispanic and Latino populations in the United States at large, opening its doors to inspire, enrich, and educate the public.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.