From Renaissance and Impressionist, to Expressionist and Post-Modern, the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum is the perfect complement to Madrid's two other fine art museums.
The Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum might be a fully-fledged member of Spain's 'holy trinity' of fabulous art museums – Madrid's so-called Golden Triangle of Art – but its origins are anything but Spanish. Instead, this superb collection of Impressionists, Expressionists and pliers of contemporary art owes its existence to a German-Hungarian: Baron Heinrich Thyssen-Bornemisza de Kászon. He was a rich and powerful 20th century industrialist, who developed a passion for fine art, and used his wealth to build up a private collection, from the 1920s onwards.He had an eye for a good painting, and a bargain price, too. Many of his most astute purchases – like the Portrait of Giovanna Tornabuon by Ghirlandaio, or Carpaccio's Knight – were bought from American tycoons hit hard by the Depression. His son, Hans Heinrich, took his father's collection towards the modern era – focusing on the Impressionists and Expressionists of the 19th century. In his later years, he bought many important contemporary post-war pieces, too, adding its already considerable diversity.However, with its swelling ranks of artworks of historical importance, the younger Thyssen-Bornemisza wanted to place them in a more spacious gallery, which is when Madrid stepped into the frame. The city persuaded Baron Hans Heinrich Thyssen-Bornemisza to bring his collection to the Spanish capital in 1992. In 1993, they bought it outright. For the Spanish art establishment, Thyssen-Bornemisza's wide coverage of European masters, and more recent contemporary pieces – which both the Prado and Reina Sofia museums were lacking in – was a perfect fit.The Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum is housed in the Villahermosa Palace, one of the 18th centuries most important Enlightenment salons of art – where better to put one of the continent's foremost art collections? The Museum was recently extended, so you can now peruse and admire over 1,000 works of art here. Highlights include Holbein's highly-rated portrait of Henry VIII, a sublime self-portrait from Rembrandt, and Rubens' The Toilet of Venus. There are also excellent works by Degas, Van Gogh and Cézanne. So if painting is food for your soul – and the Prado and Reina Sofia haven't satisfied your hunger – then a trip to the Thyssen-Bornemisza will be sure to see you completely satisfied.
