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A BLOCKBUSTER WORTHY OF A GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY WHY WE'RE GOING TO THE MEADOWS MUSEUM'S HOUSE OF ALBA TOP TREASURES Because this aristocratic collection intersects the sweeping panorama of European history, it's nigh impossible to narrow down the House of Alba exhibition to just a few of its offerings. So we invited museum director Dr. Mark Roglán to select his favorites. He proposes this quartet: "The Fra Angelico is in excellent condition … arguably one of the greatest in private hands." (The Fra Angelico devotional panel — the luminous The Virgin of the Pomegranate, circa 1426 — is a sensitive masterpiece of the early Renaissance. It's said to be the late Cayetana Fitz-James Stuart's most beloved painting. Roglán also singles out María del Pilar Teresa Cayetana (Duchess of Alba in White), 1795: "This is one of Goya's most compelling portraits. The rendering of the [13th Duchess of Alba] powerfully reflects the personality of the sitter, as well as her aristocratic status in society — she was, after the queen, the most important member of nobility in the Spanish court, and here she is decisively pointing to the signature of the artist, which appears written on the ground." Roglán also praises the House of Alba Bible, 1430 ("One of the earliest translations from Hebrew to a romance language"), and a trove of Columbus material. "When we think about Spain and U.S., the Columbus documents play a key role in that relationship," the director says. "The Alba family owns over half of all existing documents from his hand, so having a map of the first island he saw of the New World, as well as the roster of sailors on the Santa María, are incredibly special historic documents to present for the first time on this side of the Atlantic." PALACE INTRIGUE This autumn at the Meadows, 140 paintings, sculptures and decorative arts conjure the three palaces where these grand works live: Palacio de Liria in Madrid, Palacio de las Dueñas in Seville, and Palacio de Monterrey in Salamanca. The exhibition deciphers the history of each royal residence — from the Moorish- inflected Dueñas Palace to the restored Liria Palace with its Goya and Zuloaga Rooms and the oldest of the three, the imposing Monterrey Palace, which dates back to 1539. By including ducal furnishings and rare tapestries, the Meadows presentation evokes the full splendor of this storied aristocratic collection, which has survived centuries and wars to undertake this trip to Dallas. Joining these treasures will be select loans from museum collections worldwide that were once owned by the Albas, to further showcase the vast spectrum of the family's collecting history. PAPERCITY ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT Above: Albrecht Dürer's Adam and Eve, 1504 Middle row from left: Peter Paul Rubens' Portrait of Fernando Álvarez de Toledo, Third Duke of Alba, 1628 Ignacio Zuloaga y Zabaleta's Portrait of María del Rosario de Silva y Gurtubay, Seventeenth Duchess of Alba, 1921 Joaquín Sorolla Y Bastida's Jacobo Fitz-James Stuart y Falco, Seventeenth Duke of Alba, 1908 UNDERWRITING A ROYAL EXHIBITION This exhibition is co-organized by the Meadows Museum and the Casa de Alba Foundation. A generous gift from The Meadows Foundation has made this project possible. It is part of the Museum's Golden Anniversary, which is sponsored by The Meadows Foundation, The Moody Foundation, the Dallas Tourism Public Improvement District and the Dallas Convention & Visitors Bureau. Media sponsorship has been provided by The Dallas Morning News. This exhibition is supported by an indemnity from the Federal Council on the Arts and the Humanities. Main Hall, Liria Palace, Madrid Francisco de Goya y Lucientes' The Duchess of Alba in White, 1795 Fra Angelico's The Virgin of the Pomegranate, circa 1426 S E P T E M B E R 1 1 , 2 0 1 5 , T H R O U G H J A N U A R Y 3 , 2 0 1 6 . "THESE EXTRAORDINARY WORKS OF ART TELL THE STORY OF A REMARKABLE FAMILY AND REFLECT THE HISTORY AND CULTURAL ACHIEVEMENTS OF EUROPE." — Dr. Mark A. Roglán, The Linda P. and William A. Custard Director of the Meadows Museum and Centennial Chair in the Meadows School of the Arts ALL IMAGES COLECCIÓN DUQUES DE ALBA