Madrid’s Golden Triangle of Art
Sharing my favourites museums to visit when travelling to the Spanish capital
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This post is a long one as I’m also writing brief comments on some selected pieces. I was hesitant to write all of this, but I know some of you enjoy reading long format essays.
Happy Sunday and welcome back to Giselle daydreams! Today I decided to write about my three favourite museums in Madrid that I had the chance to visit back in 2022 during 10 wonderful days exploring Madrid and Andalusia.
Museo Reina Sofía
The Museo Reina Sofía (full name: Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía) is Spain's national museum of 20th-century and contemporary art. It’s one of the most important modern art museums in the world, along with the Museo del Prado and the Thyssen-Bornemisza, forming Madrid’s Golden Triangle of Art. The museum is renowned for its impressive collection of Spanish artists like Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dalí, and Joan Miró, as well as international artists of the 20th and 21st centuries.
The museum is housed in a former hospital building, which was expanded in the late 20th century to create a larger exhibition space. The Sabatini Building, the original hospital building, displays the most famous works. In contrast, the Nouvel Building is a contemporary addition to the museum, which houses temporary exhibitions, a library, and a 500-seat auditorium. The historic building contrasts with a modern glass and steel structure designed by architects Jean Nouvel and Ian Ritchie, added in 2005 to increase the gallery space and facilities.
Alexander Calder, Ritou, 1936
Calder is an American sculptor best known for his pioneering mobiles —kinetic sculptures that move with air currents or mechanical systems —and his stabiles, which are large, stationary sculptures. Ritou belongs to the period when Calder was exploring abstract forms and creating pieces that blended art with movement.
The name Ritou is often associated with Calder’s French influence during his time in Paris, where he refined his ideas and techniques. The sculpture is part of his shift from traditional figurative sculptures to more abstract and dynamic pieces. This work demonstrates Calder's engagement with abstraction, incorporating both balance and movement, which would become a hallmark of his later works.
The time in which he created Ritou marks a pivotal moment in Calder’s career, as he increasingly sought to capture the principles of movement and transformation in his sculptures, transforming the landscape of modern art.
Francis Picabia, Imperio Argentina, 1940-41
This painting is a striking example of Picabia's mid-career shift towards figurative art and his series of transparencies. During the 1940s, Picabia — known earlier for his involvement in Dadaism and abstract art — began to produce works that often combined classical references with an almost cinematic, glamorous quality.
The title Imperio Argentina refers to the Spanish actress and singer of the same name, who was famous during the 1930s and 40s. Picabia, intrigued by popular culture and celebrity, often used images from magazines and movie stills as his references, layering them with his unique visual style. This painting features overlapping, semi-transparent layers, which suggest movement and complexity and reflect Picabia’s fascination with multi-dimensional representations.
In Imperio Argentina, Picabia’s work reveals his critical stance toward both the art world and the culture of his time. The portrait combines a seductive allure with a somewhat surreal, dream-like quality, evoking a tension between reality and illusion. This work, like many in Picabia’s transparency series, offers a unique commentary on fame, identity, and the evolving world of mass media.
Alexander Calder, Hommage à Guernica de Picasso (Homage to Picasso's Guernica), circa 1940-1947
This piece reflects Calder's admiration for Pablo Picasso and his iconic 1937 painting Guernica. Created around the time of World War II, Calder’s work resonates with the themes of anti-war sentiment and anguish embodied in Guernica, though Calder approaches these themes in his own distinctive, abstract style.
Unlike Guernica, which uses stark imagery to depict the horror of the Spanish Civil War, Calder's homage captures an emotional response through abstract forms and his unique kinetic vocabulary. While it’s less literal and more symbolic, Calder’s work here likely embodies a similar call for peace and resistance against the atrocities of war. Known primarily for his mobiles and stabiles, Calder conveys movement and dynamic energy in this piece, possibly using interlocking shapes or carefully balanced elements to convey an unsettling yet harmonious arrangement—a quiet homage to Picasso’s expressive force.
During this period, Calder was deeply engaged with political and social themes, and his abstract interpretation is a tribute to both Picasso’s artistic influence and the shared desire for global peace. Hommage à Guernica stands as a dialogue between two artists who expressed their anti-war sentiments through very different yet powerful visual languages.
Joan Miró, Pintura (La mancha roja) (Painting [The Red Spot]), 1925
This painting is essential to understand the progression of his surrealist style. It captures Miró’s signature use of biomorphic forms, an otherworldly palette, and a dreamlike sense of space, all contributing to the surrealist movement's focus on accessing the subconscious.
Miró employs a simple composition with a white background, which highlights a central red blotch or spot surrounded by various other abstract shapes, lines, and colours. The spot itself might represent an anchor point for the viewer's eye, bringing attention to the work's spontaneity and sparseness. Miró was known for allowing his creative process to be guided by instinct rather than premeditated concepts, a hallmark of the esprit libre that surrealism encouraged. He aimed to explore shapes and symbols as if they were free-floating, disconnected from the weight of rational thought.
The elements in the painting appear to float in an undefined, airy space, and this seemingly unstructured approach reflects Miró's embrace of abstraction. This style allowed him to balance freedom and constraint, creating an intuitive sense of order within chaos. Additionally, the red spot symbolises a sense of emotional or energetic focus, bringing warmth and life to an otherwise minimalistic scene.
The painting illustrates how Miró’s work from this period leaned towards reducing forms to their simplest elements, yet retaining a poetic and enigmatic quality. The Red Spot is a quintessential example of Miró’s ability to blend surrealism with his own personal lexicon of symbols and gestures, contributing to his legacy as a pioneer in abstract and surrealist art.
Pablo Picasso, Guernica, 1937
This exhibit is one of the most powerful anti-war paintings in art history. Created in response to the bombing of the Basque town of Guernica during the Spanish Civil War, the mural-sized work captures the horror, chaos, and suffering inflicted upon civilians by modern warfare. Picasso, deeply affected by the tragedy, began Guernica almost immediately after the bombing, working intensely to create this stark, monochromatic piece, which he debuted at the 1937 World’s Fair in Paris as part of the Spanish Pavilion.
The painting’s composition is a chaotic tapestry of suffering. Dominated by black, white, and grey tones, Guernica is filled with figures in agony: a mother clutching her dead child, a wounded horse, a screaming woman trapped in flames, and a dead soldier lying on the ground. Picasso uses distorted forms and overlapping, fractured planes to create a sense of fragmentation and disarray, mirroring the terror and confusion of war. The bull, a symbol often associated with Spain, stands as a witness to the horror, and its ambiguous gaze is open to various interpretations.
One of Guernica's most striking features is its monochromatic palette, which intensifies the emotional impact, making the work feel almost like a documentary photograph or newsprint image of a massacre. The lack of colour emphasizes the grim reality of the event and allows the viewer to focus on the suffering and chaos conveyed through the figures' expressions and forms.
Over time, Guernica has transcended its original context, becoming an iconic symbol of resistance to oppression and the suffering caused by violence. Its powerful imagery continues to resonate globally, remaining a universal call for peace and a testament to art’s ability to express humanity’s deepest pain and outrage.
Salvador Dalí, Visage du Grand Masturbateur (Face of the Great Masturbator), 1929
This quintessential surrealist painting reveals Dalí’s fascination with psychological complexity, sexuality, and his personal anxieties. This work, created during a pivotal period in Dalí’s career as he was fully immersing himself in the Surrealist movement, portrays a distorted, dreamlike face, believed to be a self-portrait, positioned in a fantastical, desert-like landscape.
At the centre of the canvas is a reclining, elongated face with closed eyes, a protruding nose, and a mouth close to the ground. This biomorphic shape reappears frequently in Dalí's work, often representing his internal fears and neuroses. Around the figure are strange, symbolic images: a woman’s head, seemingly in ecstasy, a pair of grasshoppers (insects that haunted Dalí’s childhood nightmares), and a series of rocks and bleeding figures. These symbols hint at themes of desire, anxiety, and vulnerability, while also reflecting Dalí's obsession with eroticism and repression, themes he would revisit throughout his career.
The painting's title reflects Dalí’s complex and often provocative view of sexuality. Visage du Grand Masturbateur is both a reference to personal introspection and a symbol of his conflicted relationship with sexual desire. Dalí’s incorporation of sensual, unsettling, and deeply personal symbols demonstrates his aim to depict the inner workings of the subconscious mind, drawing on Freudian theories to bring hidden desires and fears to the surface.
Visage du Grand Masturbateur is a visually striking and deeply personal work that encapsulates Dalí’s unique approach to surrealism: merging his meticulous, almost photographic style with dream-like, irrational compositions to expose and explore the human psyche's darkest and most repressed elements.
Luis Buñuel, An Andalusian Dog (Un chien andalou), 1929
Un Chien Andalou is a landmark 1929 silent surrealist film directed by Luis Buñuel, with contributions from Salvador Dalí. The film is famous for its shocking and dreamlike sequences, structured through free association rather than a linear plot, and is designed to disturb and provoke the audience’s subconscious.
One of the most iconic scenes — and one of the most disturbing in cinema history — involves a close-up of an eye being sliced open, an image that has become emblematic of the surrealist movement’s intent to shock and bypass rational thought. This scene, like many others in the film, serves no conventional narrative purpose, breaking traditional storytelling techniques in favour of dream logic, disjointed scenes, and bizarre juxtapositions.
Buñuel and Dalí collaborated with the intent to subvert social norms and create images that would impact viewers on a visceral level. The film employs surrealist motifs such as transformation, decay, and sexuality, as well as unsettling, seemingly nonsensical juxtapositions, including scenes of ants crawling from a hole in a hand or a man dragging pianos laden with rotting animals.
At its core, Un Chien Andalou is an experiment in exploring the subconscious, much in the spirit of André Breton’s surrealist manifesto. Buñuel and Dalí sought to break from traditional art forms and create a new, unsettling cinematic language, challenging viewers to confront the darker recesses of the human psyche. Even today, the film remains a powerful, challenging piece that continues to influence avant-garde cinema and surrealist art.
The Museo Reina Sofía is a must-visit for modern and contemporary art lovers, offering a deep dive into Spain’s artistic contributions and global modernism.
Museo del Prado
The Museo del Prado (or Prado Museum) is one of the most prestigious art museums in the world. It is renowned for its vast collection of European art, particularly from the 12th to the 20th century, with an emphasis on the Spanish Golden Age and the Renaissance.
The Prado Museum was established in 1819 as the Royal Museum of Paintings and Sculptures. It was initially conceived to showcase the rich artistic heritage of Spain and has since evolved into a repository of some of the finest artworks from European masters. The original building, designed by architect Juan de Villanueva, was commissioned by King Charles III in the 18th century and remains a masterpiece of neoclassical architecture.
Visiting the Prado is a deep dive into Western art history. The museum’s collection is incredibly well-curated, showcasing masterworks from artists who shaped European art. The Prado's layout allows a blissful journey between different artistic periods and styles, with sections dedicated to Spanish, Flemish, Italian, and other European art. The extensive collection includes masterpieces by artists such as Rubens, Rembrandt, and Caravaggio.
Hieronymus Bosch, The Garden of Earthly Delights, 1490-1500
For those interested, I wrote a long form essay about this masterpiece.
I won’t be covering the other paintings from the moodboard just yet as they will be featured in upcoming essays. Stay tuned!
Thyssen Museum
The Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza, often referred to simply as the Thyssen Museum, is one of Madrid’s top art institutions, completing the city’s Golden Triangle of Art alongside the Prado Museum and the Reina Sofía. It is renowned for its extensive collection of European art, ranging from the medieval period to the late 20th century.
It offers a comprehensive tour of Western art. The diversity and high quality of artworks from each period is also impressive. The Thyssen Museum is also more intimate than the Prado, and its collection covers various periods and styles, filling in gaps left by the Prado and Reina Sofía.
The collection was originally assembled by the Thyssen-Bornemisza family, one of the wealthiest art-collecting families in Europe. The museum opened in 1992 after the Spanish government purchased the collection from Baron Hans Heinrich Thyssen-Bornemisza. It is housed in the Villahermosa Palace, a beautiful neoclassical building near the Prado Museum.
Domenico Ghirlandaio (Domenico Bigordi), Portrait of Giovanna degli Albizzi Tornabuoni, 1489-90
This is one of the most celebrated portraits of the Italian Renaissance, capturing both the refined elegance and deep symbolism that defined portraiture during this period. This painting was commissioned after Giovanna’s untimely death, possibly as a commemorative piece by her grieving husband, Lorenzo Tornabuoni, a member of one of Florence’s most influential families. This posthumous element adds a layer of poignancy to the portrait, memorialising Giovanna not only for her beauty but as an ideal of Florentine womanhood.
In the portrait, Giovanna is depicted in profile, a pose commonly used in Renaissance portraits to convey a sense of decorum and nobility. This pose was influenced by classical Roman coin portraits, adding a timeless, statuesque quality to her appearance. Her expression is serene, with a slight downward tilt of the head, which contributes to her dignified and composed air. She wears an intricate gown with richly embroidered patterns and a finely crafted necklace, symbolising her family’s wealth and high social status.
Ghirlandaio’s attention to detail is evident in the precise rendering of her clothing and jewellery, which communicates her position within Florence’s elite society. The portrait’s background includes several symbolic objects— a prayer book and a string of coral beads, often seen as symbols of devotion and protection against evil — further highlighting the dual roles of women at that time as both pious and paragons of social grace.
A Latin inscription behind her reads, “ARS UTINAM MORES ANIMVM QVE EFFINGERE POSSIS PVLCHRIOR IN TERRIS NVLLA TABELLA FORET,” translating roughly to, “If only you could portray character and soul, no painting on Earth would be more beautiful.” This inscription not only honours Giovanna’s physical beauty but hints at the nobility and virtue she was thought to embody.
Ghirlandaio’s skill in rendering texture and subtle variations in colour is apparent in the treatment of Giovanna’s complexion and the fabrics. The play of light on her clothing and jewels enhances the portrait’s lifelike quality, exemplifying Ghirlandaio’s mastery of naturalistic detail and sensitivity to his subject’s inner life.
This depiction remains a masterpiece of Renaissance portraiture, capturing both the essence of an individual and the ideals of Florentine society. It is a timeless work that speaks to themes of memory, virtue, and beauty — qualities that Ghirlandaio deftly immortalised in Giovanna’s dignified likeness.
Caravaggio (Michelangelo Merisi), Saint Catherine of Alexandria, c.1598-99
Caravaggio's Saint Catherine of Alexandria is a striking depiction of the revered Christian martyr known for her courage, intellect, and unwavering faith. The painting captures Caravaggio’s characteristic use of intense chiaroscuro — contrasting light and dark — to dramatise the subject, highlighting the emotional depth and physical realism that set his work apart from other artists of his time.
In the painting, Saint Catherine is shown seated, gazing calmly at the viewer, with her head slightly tilted and hands gently resting on the hilt of a sword. She is dressed in an elegant yet simple gown, with rich folds and dark tones, which accentuate her form. A large, spiked wheel, the symbol of her martyrdom, lies beside her on the ground, serving as a reminder of her suffering. According to legend, Catherine was sentenced to death by a spiked breaking wheel for refusing to renounce her Christian faith. However, the wheel miraculously shattered, leading to her eventual beheading, symbolized by the sword she holds.
Caravaggio captures Catherine’s dual nature as a woman of intellectual and spiritual strength while maintaining her gentle vulnerability. Her serene expression suggests a quiet acceptance of her fate, and her downcast eyes reflect a sense of contemplation or sorrow. The positioning of her hands on the sword — a symbol of both her nobility and martyrdom — adds to the painting's complex emotional resonance, depicting her not as a distant, exalted saint but as a relatable figure grounded in the reality of her impending suffering.
Caravaggio’s naturalistic approach brings a tangible humanity to Catherine, which contrasts with the more stylised, idealised depictions of saints in Renaissance art. The painting’s lighting, which illuminates her face and hands while casting much of the background in shadow, emphasizes her physical presence and draws attention to the subtle, delicate details of her expression and posture. This focused use of light brings Catherine forward in the composition, making her the clear focal point while creating a sense of intimacy between her and the viewer.
Saint Catherine of Alexandria exemplifies Caravaggio’s ability to infuse religious subjects with a realism and emotional intensity that were revolutionary at the time. His depiction of Catherine is both reverent and grounded, presenting her as a powerful yet approachable figure whose story resonates on a deeply human level. This work not only highlights Caravaggio’s technical mastery but also reflects his unique approach to spirituality, where saints are portrayed with a blend of dignity and raw emotional truth that has captivated viewers for centuries.
I won’t be covering the remaining paintings from the moodboard just yet as they will be featured in upcoming essays.
The Thyssen Museum was my favourite museum. Even my husband, who isn’t particularly affectionate about spending time in museums, was impressed by its broad and eclectic permanent collection, which spans centuries and artistic styles. It allowed me to spend several hours admiring masterpieces after masterpieces.
I hope you enjoyed today’s post. Please share it with art lovers.
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FIN.
Wonderful!
Literally standing in front of the “Figure at the Window” at Reina Sofia right now!!! Your post made me go!!!!