Exhibitions

The wide range of museums in London makes it almost impossible to find a complete and accurate guide to Valencian art on display in public or in the warehouses of these cultural centers. Most museums around the world show a part of their collections while some works are on permanent display. Therefore, this guide is a “work in progress” that tries to collect everything that is linked, creatively, to the Valencian Country.

Some museums are very specific in their objects, such as art: the National Gallery shows art produced - mostly in two dimensions - from the Middle Ages to 1900; Tate Modern covers international (non-British) art from about 1900 to the present. Others such as the British Museum include works of many kinds: archeology, goldsmithing, ceramics, clothing, architecture or anthropology to name a few disciplines; some of these coincide with those of the Victoria & Albert Museum of Decorative Arts, a concept, that of Decorative Arts that also includes everything from graphic art and posters to industrial devices.

Francisco Ribalta (1565-1628) was born in Solsona, but from 1599 he settled in Valencia where he created a school for his son Juan Ribalta and his son-in-law Vicent Castelló as well as Antonio Bisquert and Josep de Ribera Lo Spagnoletto.

"The Vision of Father Simon". Room 30, permanently exhibited alongside iconic works by Diego Velázquez and Bartolomé Esteban Murillo.

Josep de Ribera (1591-1652)was born in Xàtiva, he studied in Valencia with Francisco Ribalta before leaving for Italy where he settled, earning the name "Lo Spagnoletto".

"Jacob with the Flock of Laban". Room 30 in permanent exhibition.

"The Lamentation over the Dead Christ". Room 30 in permanent exhibition.

"An Apostle". Room 30 in permanent exhibition.

Joaquim Sorolla (1863-1923). Despite being the master of light, the National Gallery bought the only work in its collections in June 2020 for 400,000 euros, after a successful exhibition in 2019.


"The Drunkard, Zarauz". Without exposing.

Art.

Altarpiece of Sant Jordi of Centenar de la Ploma: The work on wood deserves a special place because it is known as the Birth Certificate of the Valencian people. Painted by the Marçal de Sax around 1420 by order of the militia of the Centenar de la Ploma, formed by a hundred crossbowmen who protected the city of Valencia and the flag of the Kingdom; they wore a heron feather in their helmet to identify or distinguish themselves. The altarpiece adorned the altar of the chapel of Sant Jordi, patron saint of crossbowmen, next to where they had their headquarters in Valencia. In addition to the religious iconography of the time meticulously reproduced (from evangelists to the martyrdom of the saint), the work of art represents the battle of Puig in August 1237, the triumph that facilitated the entry of James I into the city of Valencia a year later, on October 9, 1238 declaring the victory of the Christian kingdom.

It remains on display to the public from the time it arrived at the museum in the 19th century until today. Room 48ª, Raphael Gallery

The V&A Museum’s Decorative Arts concept scratches the National Gallery’s role in preserving international classical art. In the warehouses he keeps the painting “La Posada” by José Benlliure y Gil (Valencia 1858-1937).

Francisco de Osona (1465-1514) was born, probably in Valencia where he worked and was artistically active.

“The Adorationof the Magi”, from 1505 to 1513. Room 64, display case 1, shelf 3, box WN.

Posters and graphic art.

The spirit and avant-garde art, rather than concrete pieces, of Josep Renau (1907-1982) is present in the permanent exhibition of posters and graphic art with the Spanish Civil War as a theme.

“Toda la Juventud unida por la Patria”, color lithograph as an example of the series on permanent display and in non-exhibited collections. Poster produced in Valencia in 1937 by the publisher Ortega and drawn by Cervigón. Drawing Room I Printed work, third floor, display case Y, shelf 85, box 35.

Ceramics

There are hundreds of ceramics samples from Valencia that belong to the museum, of which several dozen are on display.

Rafael González Valls from the years 1850-51 from the Rafael González Valls factory in Manises hangs several pieces on the museum stairs. G scale, WW showcase.

Set of dishes from 1430-1470 from Manises; of glazed or varnished clay and painted in different colors with decorative motifs. Room 63, showcase 8.

Jug of 1860-1900 of Manises; of varnished and painted clay copying one of the set known as “Jerros de l’Alambra” made in the 19th century. Acquired by the museum in 2008. Room 139, display case H1, shelf 4.

Tile or maniseta: One of the many exhibited or stored, of small dimensions, that the museum has, shows the figure of a dog; from 1400-1430; of clay and enamel in white and blue. Room 137, display case 34, shelf 8.

Tile divided circa 1500-1530 of Valencia. Varnished clay and painted in white and blue; the triangular half (from a square are two triangles) on a white background and a blue figure And the other half upside down: a blue background and a white figure. Room 137, display case 34, shelf 8.

Rectangular tile of rare sizes: 31cm wide; 14.5 in height; 3 cm thick; from the beginning of the 16th century, from Valencia; of varnished clay and, like most, of unknown authorship. Painted with decorative motifs and fish. Donated by W.L. Hilburgh. Room 137, WS showcase.

Cup with lid in the figure of a woman from the 19th century in Valencia; of enamelled and painted brown clay and decorative motifs on white; nanses; lid; and base. Room 137, display case 34, shelf 5.

Goldsmithing.

Neither the pieces of goldsmithing nor the wheelbarrow for serving food and drink, made of metal and glass, designed by Javier Mariscal, are permanently exposed to the public.

Piece of iron, from 1700 in Valencia. A structure of iron legs and a circle that was used to place a plate. Room 114a, showcase 1, shelf 2. Unknown artist.

Jewelry

Painting from 1865-1870 from Valencia, made of copper covered with silver with decorative motifs. Room 91 to 93, display case 74, shelf A, box 1.

Brooch or cross pendant from 1800-1870 from Valencia, made of silver and green stones or emeralds. Rooms 91 to 93, display case 73, shelf C, box 1.

Hairpins from 1865-1870 from Valencia, made of silver and green stones or emeralds. Room 91 to 93, display case 74, shelf A, box 9.

The international art museum included a large Valencian presence in the exhibition The World goes Pop with works by Equip Crónica, Equip Realidad, Estampa Popular, Ángela García and Isabel Oliver. But none of them have been permanently exposed.

Cristina de Middle, born in Alicante in 1975, is a photographer and has around thirty works in the Tate’s collections, acquired in 2017 and 2018, although none of them are on permanent display. The first photography exhibition held by the Museum of Modern Art was held under the direction of the Valencian Vicent Todolí, who directed the museum from 2002 to 2009.

Art.

Drawings by the Valencians Juan Ribalta (1610-1628), Vicente Salvador Gómez (1637-1680) and José Camarón y Boronat (1752-1760) are part of the British Museum's collection on subjects such as the proclamations of Saint Vincent Ferrer despite which are not on permanent display.

Graphic art.

From José de Ribera (1628) and Vicente López y Portaña (1814), the museum has graphic work on social issues such as “El begut” by Ribera or politicians such as “España e Inglaterra contra Francia”. Productions that are not permanently exhibited and are only an indicator of the hundreds of works on paper from the Valencian Country that the museum hosts.

Ceramics.

The largest exhibition of Valencian objects in the museum is in 29 pieces of ceramics that are displayed in the rooms; from G42 to G46.

Coins and Medals.

The museum has an application service to see pieces from the Department of Coins and Medals where there are staples from the Valencian Country; has a Study Room to teach and explain them. Appointments must be made via: coins@britishmuseum.com

Sculptures.

Anonymous Roman marble bust located in Monforte del Cid during the construction of the railway from Alicante to Almansa in 1854. It is not on permanent display. An example of the set of pieces that the museum keeps coming from or produced in the Valencian Country and that fill the warehouses of the British Museum.