The Brilliance of the Spanish World: El Greco, Velázquez, Zurbarán

Nicolás de Correa (Mexico, active 1690–1700), The Wedding at Canna (detail), 1696.

Oil and mixed media on wood panel with mother-of-pearl (nácar). 58.8 × 75.5 × 6 cm. Courtesy of The Hispanic Society of America, New York

Overview

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May 2–July 27, 2025
Baker/Rowland Galleries
Free for Members
Included with admission

Featuring works from the most significant collection of Hispanic art outside of Spain, The Brilliance of the Spanish World: El Greco, Velázquez, Zurbarán presents more than 50 paintings by renowned and influential Hispanic artists of the Renaissance and Baroque eras.

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. The resulting artworks range from powerfully emotive paintings of saints and biblical scenes created in service of the Roman Catholic faith in Spain and its many colonies to starkly secular formal court portraits of influential, wealthy, and, in some cases, infamous figures.

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