The sixteenth century renaissance Palace of Villalón, found in the heart of Málaga’s historic city centre, is home to part of the expansive Carmen Thyssen-Bornemisza art collection. Wonder through these light filled galleries and one is reminded of the seductive, exotic appeal of Andalucía.
This compelling collection of Andalusian art from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries depicts romantic Mediterranean landscapes and evocative scenes of rural and urban life.
The paintings portray all manner of scenes – children around a village fountain as laden carts pass by; the colourful scenes of the Spring Fair in Seville; fishermen bringing to shore their catch in Málaga; a ‘feria’ in Cordoba; the ‘Romeria’ winding its way through the Huelva countryside; a torero lying wounded in a stifling hot bullring; hooded penitents in a Holy Week parade; bandits hiding out in a cave near Ronda; The Giralda in Seville; and the exotic image of Arab Caravans arriving from North Africa.
These types of scenes are iconic of the romantic notion of Andalucía and for many around the world are representative of the essence of Spain.
It is this richness of culture and history that has for centuries captured the imagination of artists, writers and travellers, drawn to Andalucía by the desire to discover and understand this remarkable part of Europe. A land of long siestas, extended families, Catholic customs and complex superstitions; as well as multi cultural communities, mass tourism and the luxury playground for Europe’s wealthy.
Andalucía is one of the largest autonomous communities in Spain and the most populous with over 8 million inhabitants. It boasts the best climate in Europe, stunning beaches, mountain ranges, forests and unique eco systems that support immense biodiversity. It is also one of the world’s most popular destinations for vacations and residential tourism. Modern day high speed motorways link all the provinces, and with international airports at Málaga, Jerez, Seville, Almería and Granada, together with the Spanish super fast ‘AVE’ train network linking Seville, Cordoba and Málaga with Madrid and beyond makes Andalucía one of the best connected regions in the Mediterranean.
I hope you enjoy exploring this blog dedicated to Andalucia and it inspires you to visit and find out more about one of the most amazing regions in earth.
To view some of nature photos click here.
To view some ad spots for Andalucia, click here.
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