An interest in everyday subjects and landscape persisted in the second half of the 19th century but artists now adopted a new approach to these themes. Spanish painting became colourful, freer and spontaneous while achieving high technical levels. Particularly in the case of landscape, painters aimed to take nature as their direct model, with the result that plein air painting and realism modernised Spanish art at this period.

Preciousness and naturalistic landscape, which demonstrates the profound evolution that, during the second half of the nineteenth century, Spanish painting underwent small-scale, colorful and careful works in small details, the so-called precious painting, and on the other, the transformations from the romantic subjectivist landscape towards the most realistic landscape of naturalism . Here are works by artists such as Mariano Fortuny , José Benlliure , Raimundo de Madrazo , José Moreno Carbonero or Emilio Sala , and landscapers such as Carlos de Haes , Martín Rico or Sánchez Perrier.

This style of painting, known in Spain as preciosita, is characterised by the technical virtuosity deployed in the depiction of all the elements in the work, including minor details. The rigorous professional training required of artists in the 19th century resulted in an extremely high level if technical skill. The subjects depicted in these invariably agreeable scenes range from light-hearted 18th century episodes, a type known as “Greatcoat Paintings”, to landseapes and views of Italy, as well as religious scenes and picturesque genre compositions.

There was a parallet development within landscape painting, largely brought about by Carlos de Haes who reacted against the subjective sentimentality of Romantic landscape and championed a more realist style based on first hand observation. The new emphasis on realism also meant that the sea became an increasingly important motif and for obvious geographical reasons the Malaga school of artists showed a particular interest in marine views. The advent of the sea as a new theme was expressed in views of port cities in which the quevsides and boats became more important than the city itself. Artists depicted the sea sparkling with luminous relections and revealed an increasing concern for capturing changes in the flecting effects of light and wealther on the landscape. Guillermo Gomez Gil, Rmilio Ocon y Rivas and Ricardo Verdugo Landi were the finest exponents of this type of painting.

Museo Carmen Thyssen Málaga
The Carmen Thyssen Museum (Museo Carmen Thyssen Málaga) is an art museum in the Spanish city Málaga. The main focus of the museum is 19th-century Spanish painting, predominantly Andalusian, based on the collection of Carmen Cervera, third wife of Baron Hans Heinrich Thyssen-Bornemisza.

Carmen Thyssen Museum are a museum dedicated to conservation, research and the dissemination of the Carmen Thyssen Collection in order to emphasize the value of Spanish painting, especially that of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, fully referenced in its historical and artistic context, for the understanding of all audiences, which forms part of Malaga’s strategy as a cultural city.

Carmen Thyssen Museum aim to become an international benchmark for our contribution to nineteenth century art in Spain, through the conservation of our Permanent Collection and temporary exhibitions that facilitate their interpretation. In addition, for our emphasis on the value of the Roman archaeological site, for our dynamic cross-cutting programme of cultural and educational activities dedicated especially to younger audiences, and for an approach that is always open to collaboration with other cultural and social institutions.

Furthermore, for our model of museum management focused on the commitment to better service to our different stakeholders, as well as the incorporation of new technologies, and a comprehensive vision of the space, from a design perspective, incorporating complementary uses and comfort. The gallery offers more virtual exhibitions that can be viewed for free on its website. Note that these virtual exhibit needs to allow the Falsh plugin.