Contemporary Spain: Photography, painting and fashion

The historical and political events that marked the evolution of contemporary Spanish society were reflected in the painting, photography and fashion of the last two centuries. The exhibition provided an overview of the last two centuries of Spanish history.

The exhibition

In the show, a careful selection of images presented a narrative of the most important historical events of the 19^th and 20^th centuries, from the invention of the daguerreotype to the barrage of images we live with today. This depiction of events was accompanied by paintings that indicated the formal similarities of both mediums and shed light on the construction of some of the stereotypes of Spanish society. The exhibition also traced the evolution of women’s dress throughout this period.

The exhibited works depicted the evolution of society, its stereotypes, changes in mindset, new advances, conflicts that emerged and their consequences within the framework of nineteenth- and twentieth-century Spain.

From the invention of the daguerreotype to the advertising and television images we live with today, the exhibition offered a wide-ranging overview of works that inspire specific moments from each period, with an array of images that focused on showing the evolution of Spanish history.

Through 30 pieces, the exhibition also enabled us to see how fashion, in particular, women’s dress, evolved alongside society. By charting the evolution of women’s fashion throughout this period, the exhibition provided insight into the special relationship between the transformation of the female figure and the social changes that were taking place.