Borbon Madrid Tour - Art Scenes

MADRID

Borbon

After massive inbreeding the Habsburgs didn’t have an heir to the throne resulting into the controversial Spanish war of succession during the 17th century in which the Borbons gained the Spanish throne; bringing a whole new wave of projects to the medieval village transforming Madrid into an enlightened elegant city — and thanks to some museums you can go back in time and feel like a royal for a day.

Time period: 1700s-1800s

Movie/book: La Cocinera de Castamar drama series/España Contra el Invasor Francés por César Vidal

Soundtrack: Antonio Literes/Jose de Torres’ music

Fashion: black and white, wool cape plus a fedora hat

Budget:

T. Lopez and D Ventura Rodriguez: Plano de Madrid; Madrid, 1762

This tour would take you through: the center of Madrid, where public buildings and squares got built by the new dynasty; and through the iconic Paseo del Prado, where the Borbon created a promenade with fountains and scientific institutions around it. The area is characterized by: baroque/neo-classical architecture, public squares with sculptures and green spaces. Charles the II left the Spanish throne to his distant nephew the Duke of Anjou but the Austrian Habsburgs didn’t like that so for 13 years they fought and finally in 1714 the will of Charles got granted when the French Borbon got the throne (and still do). Madrid didnt grow, instead it became more Versailles during that time: the new dynasty built the largest royal palace in Europe; Calle Alcala got its iconic door and Paseo del Prado its fountains. The city got enlightened with new institutions like: The Natural History Museum (El Prado), The Royal Observatory and La Real Academia Española; public buildings got built like: The Royal House of the Post Office, the General Hospital (today the Reina Sofia) and The Royal Botanic Gardens. In short, what used to be el Palacio del Buen Retiro became a center for science and culture, now protected by the UNESCO. Ferdinand VII in 1819 got encouraged by his wife, Queen María Isabel de Braganza, to use the Natural History Museum as a new Royal Museum of Paintings and Sculptures to display the vast collection of art created by the Habsburgs plus their own; creating one of the most important art museums in the world, El Prado. With the Borbons the ideas of French Enlightenment (a new version of Greek stoicism and philosophy) plus secret societies like the freemasons got into the Iberian peninsula and latter on to the viceroyalties; spreading classic art, rationality over skepticism, science over religion, and the everyday life rather than the after life. In art Mariano Salvador Maella, Francisco Goya and his older brother Francisco Bayeu were the main exponents of the Romanticismo Español: an art movement that focuses on emotions and vibes rather than pure realism. But while the elite was getting “French” the local revolted culturally, and many things that we associate with Spain flourished during this time. Bullfighting became the form of entertainment for the masses and the matadores their gladiators; in fashion “oriental” elements like: fans, mantos de Manila, and feathers got popularized; and in music the guitar got its sixth cord and later on its current shape thanks to Antonio de Torres Jurado (a guitarist himself). After Napoleon failed attempt to invade Spain the monarchy was not the same anymore; and the viceroyalties started getting their independence putting the prosperity of Madrid and the Spanish Empire into a halt. The tour suggests visiting the Royal Palace in the morning; a church and 2 small museum plus lunch in the afternoon; and El Prado plus dinner at night.