Matisse and the Alhambra in the spotlight at the CaixaForum and the Palace of Charles V

The Patronato de la Alhambra y Generalife (PAG) and “laCaixa” Foundation, in collaboration with the Sociedad Estatal de Acción Cultural, have organised a series of lectures, in which the impact of the Nasrid Monumental Complex on the work of Henri Matisse will be analysed, next to other topics related to the painter’s artistic experiences. The series of lectures will be held at two locations, at the CaixaForum in Madrid, from 17 to 19 January, and at the Palace of Charles V in Granada, from 16 to 18 February. At this last mentioned location, you can also visit the exhibition Matisse and the Alhambra 1910-2010. The admission to this event is free, but with a limited number of places available.
The lectures will recreate the history of the fascination Matisse felt for the Oriental world, which in terms of his biography is coinciding partly with his visit to the Alhambra at 11 December 1910, which was a transcendental experience for him.
Outstanding experts will participate as lecturers, such as Isabelle Monod-Fontaine, General Curator of the Heritage of France, Tomas Llorens, the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum chief curator, Kosme de Barañano, Full Professor of Art History, Miguel Hernández University of Elche, Spain, and Tatiana Pigariova, Cultural Manager at Moscow’s Cervantes Institute. There are also lectures to be held by María del Mar Villafranca, PAG Director, and Francisco Jarauta, Full Professor of Philosophy, University of Murcia, who will chair the series of lectures and is, together with María del Mar Villafranca, the curator of the exhibition.
The event will deepen the knowledge about the relation between Matisse and Islamic aesthetics and art, about the painter’s creative talent, combining tradition and modernity, history and avant-garde, based on a certain artistic experience, which is strongly rooted in cultural heritage. The artistic repertoire of Islamic art is being adapted and transformed by the artist and ubiquitous in his work.
Matisse and the Alhambra (1910-2010). Series of lectures
CaixaForum Madrid
Monday 17 January, 19:30
Matisse y La Alhambra: Centenario de un viaje (‘Matisse and the Alhambra: Centenary of a journey’)
María del Mar Villafranca Jiménez, Director-General of the Patronato de la Alhambra y Generalife
Tuesday 18 January, 19:30
El Oriente de Matisse (‘Matisse’s Orient’)
Francisco Jarauta, Full Professor of Philosophy, University of Murcia
Wednesday 19 January, 19:30
“Mise aux carreaux”. El motivo de la odalisca de 1921 a 1935 (‘The odalisque motif 1921-1935’)
Isabelle Monod-Fontaine, General Curator of the Heritage of France
Palace of Charles V. Alhambra of Granada
Wednesday, 16 February
17:00. Institutional opening
17:30. María Del Mar Villafranca Jiménez, Director-General of the Patronato de la Alhambra y Generalife
Matisse y La Alhambra: Centenario de un viaje (‘Matisse and the Alhambra: Centenary of a journey’)
19:00. Kosme de Barañano, Full Professor of Art History, Universidad Miguel Hernández of Elche
Matisse e Iturrino (‘Matisse and Iturrino’)
Thursday, 17 February
17:00. Tatiana Pigariova, Cultural Manager at Moscow’s Cervantes Institute
Matisse en el coleccionismo ruso (‘Matisse in Russian collections’)
18.30. Tomás Llorens, Chief Curator of the Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza
La ventana y las ninfas (‘The window and the nymphs’)
Friday, 18 February
17:00. Isabelle Monod-Fontaine, General Curator of the Heritage of France
Las Odaliscas de Matisse (‘Matisse’s odalisques’)
18:30. Francisco Jarauta, Full Professor of Philosophy, University of Murcia
El Oriente de Matisse (‘Matisse’s Orient’)

PAG