El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-08-03

NJ ADRID. Spain. Aug. s.-No more
|. MI striking landmark of the great
ness of the Spanish empire in
the days of the Hapsburg kings is to
be found than the Prado art gallery
in Madrid. This gallery occupies an
unpicturesque building that stands
upon a part of the famous "pratum,'
or meadow. that was often celebrated
by Lope de Vega and other early Span
ish poets. The Prado has long since
been surrounded by handsome build
ings and Is one of the fashionable prom
enades of the Spanish capital There is
another gallery in Madrid where the
work of contemporary artists may be
seen, but the Prado is interesting not
| merely as a picture gallery-ands one
of the greatest in Europe-but also
as a Spanish monument. Here the one
time glory of great country is re-
Elected in immortal canvases done by
foreign painters who flocked to the
| Spanish court when it's bounty was to
be shifted from afar, and by natives of
the country whose genius was given an
opportunity to develop when the Span
ish crown was a liberal patron Of
painting.
When Painting FIOurished.
When painting flourished in Spain
its throne was the richest In Europe
and the empire was one upon which
the. sun never set Nowadays the Wis
itor to the Prado must pay a fee to
see the pictures that survive so poor
| has grown the former liberal patron
of the arts And because of the back
| wardness OF education in Spain most
| of the pesetas paid at the doors of the
| Prado are contributed by foreigners.
Art students declare the collection of
| treasures in the Prado to be greater
~ T h,,<
| history find the gallery more fascinat-
| Ing because Of the light 1t throws upon
| history than upon account of the i'm
4 pOrtance of the collection Ii contains.
| The paintings in the Prado consti-
| tute a large part Of the picture gall
| lery of the kings Of Spain. The build
| ing was begun by the architect Juan
| de Villanueva under the direction Of
| Charles III. in 1888, 20 years before
: the battle of Trafalgar. It was inter
| rupted by the French invasion and
| finished by Ferdinand VII. 1t was in
| tended as the container Of a collection
| of geological specimens and even the
| extensive alterations made recently
! did not serve to make 1T good build
| ing in which to hang pictures. but its
| creaking floors are vocal under the
| footsteps Of countless pilgrims who ex-
| plore it's dimly lighted chambers to
| feast their eyes upon paintings that
| are known throughout the civilized
/ world
| Hapsburgs Were Patrons.
Spain owes her vanished glory as an
art center to the taste and enterprise
| of the house of Hapsburg. The Prado
| represents Spain at the height of its
| splendor and upon the brink of de-
| cline subsisting by pillage and gov
| erned, not inappropriately. by the
| descendants of family of Swiss ban
ditti.
When Charles L began his work as
collector of paintings and other OBJ
jects of art he had no rival worthy of
notice save Francis l. of France
Charles was polished gentleman
and a critic of painting and sculp-
ture. 1t Is said that he knew
Raphael when he saw 1t without see
ing the signature and that the best i'm
itation could not mislead him. He I'M
dertook TO rob Rome and Antwerp Of
their most valuable art treasures. and
what the gold tipped scepter of the
royal Croesus touched was claimed for
Spain He made himself the personal
friend of the leading painters Of the
time
Titan n Favorite.
Titan was one of his favorites when
he had just become famous by surpass
he had studied. Francis had invited
him to Paris and paid him every COM
pliment in addition to giving him i'm
portant commissions. Charles met
him and Immediately ordered him to
paint his portrait Two paintings were
made at Bologna and the painter then
accompanied the king to Madrid, where
he was made a count Palatine and a
knight of Saint James. He fmmedi-
q nicfureS
Prado gallery.
Charles declared that Spain was, and
was to remain. the most glorious en-
pire in the world. South Americas
limitless supply of gold was to keep its
Golfers bursting, and it behooved its
monarch to direct part of that wealth
toward enriching the capital with art
and encouraging the upgrowth of |
painting and sculpture in the provin-
ces It's palaces and libraries were
also to eclipse those of other European
countries. The adventurous among the
young men Of Spain were encouraged |
to set out for America as conquista
dores or explorers. The studious were
encouraged to go to Italy or Belgium
TO learn painting. Nations, like indi-
viduals prosper best by industry, but |
Spain was to flourish upon loot.
The School of Art.
The activities of the Hapsburg mon |
archs soon began to show material re-
suits not only in causing foreign art |
lists to flock to Madrid TO paint. but |
also in creating a school Of painting |
among Spaniards. Among the Span
iards who won fame in the period OF |
the early development of painting was !
a deaf and dumb youth of Logrono. !
who studied under Fra Vicente. and !
later under the great Titan. He was !
called "El Mudo"-the mute-but the |
world knows him as Navarrete. and 1
he is we'll represented in the Prado, |
where artists call him the Spanish !
Titan. Alonzo Berrugete, a native Of |
Navarro. was appointed court painter !
by Charles when he returned from the !
prosecution of his studies in Italy, !
where he studied in the school Of Mi |
chael Angelo. Francisco de Ribalta, OF !
Valencia. went to study under Raphael |
and returned to aid many young Span i
iards to fame, making an impression in !
Valencia that is reflected in canvaseS |
painted there at the present time.
Madrid An Art Center.
Madrid heca center nOOn /