Un poco de Romanticismo

The 19th century was a convulse time, a precursor of the avant-garde arts and during which artistic movements such as Romanticism emerged, a passionate, radical and wholehearted way of living life. Mariano José de Larra was one of the most illustrious Spanish romantic figures and signed his work with the nom de plume Figaro.

It was also a time during which well-to-do families reached their highest point with Rococo: multicoloured chests of drawers, luxurious clocks, canapés, paintings, silverware, chaises longues… The challenge was not leaving a single space free, as you can see in an itinerary in the Museum of Romanticism.

Founded in 1921 on Calle San Mateo, 13, (Metro Tribunal), the Museum of Romanticism has a rich artistic and decorative heritage donated by individuals and institutions such as the National Heritage or the Vega Inclán and Mariano Rodríguez de Rivas foundations, which include a gun like the one the aforementioned Larra used to kill himself due to his amorous afflictions.

The museum shows us how everyday life was in the most refined homes in Spain back then, with stunning upholstered sofas, console dressing tables made with the best wood, unique wardrobes like the cabinet dresser, with Japanese-inspired paintings.

Priceless also  is its painting collection, with portraits that allow you to have an idea of the people who lived at that time, such as Mrs. Vargas Machuca, who could easily have been one of the inhabitants of those overloaded houses like the ones the museum recreates. However, there are also many delicate objects, such as the cigarette, cigar and match case made of nacre with incrustations, dolls from that time or refined fans made in France.

And don’t finish the visit without stopping at the Café del Jardín, a small oasis of elegance where you can enjoy delicious homemade cakes in a charming setting, which you can get to without buying a ticket for the museum, which incidentally costs 3 euros. The museum is open daily from 9.30am until 6.30pm and from 10.00am until 3.00pm on Sundays.

It is easy to get to the Museum of Romanticism from our charming hotel in the centre of Madrid. All you have to do is take Line 5 of the Metro on Puerta de Toledo itself, where we are located, and get off at Alonso Martínez, a 10-minute walk to the museum.

Foto: Outisnn via Wikimedia Commons. Licencia CC 3.0.

Categories: Madrid Cultura