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Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza Review

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Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza

Write a review | Avg. member rating: 4.6/5

Fodor's Review:

The newest—it first opened in 1992; the second part of the collection, that of Baron Thyssen's wife, which is of a lesser quality, was added in 2004—of Madrid's three major art centers, the Thyssen occupies spacious galleries washed in salmon pink and filled with natural light in the late-18th-century Villahermosa Palace, finished in 1771. This ambitious collection of almost 1,000 paintings traces the history of Western art with examples from every important movement, from the 13th-century Italian Gothic through 20th-century American pop art. The works were gathered from the 1920s to the 1980s by Swiss industrialist Baron Hans Heinrich Thyssen-Bornemisza and his father. At the urging of his wife, Carmen Cervera (a former Miss Spain), the baron donated the entire collection to Spain in 1993. A renovation in 2004 increased the number of paintings on display to include the baron's wife's personal collection. Critics have described the museum's paintings as the minor works of major artists and the major works of minor artists, but, be that as it may, the collection traces the development of Western humanism as no other in the world.

One of the high points here is Hans Holbein's Portrait of Henry VIII (purchased from the late Princess Diana's grandfather, who used the money to buy a Bugatti sports car). American artists are also well represented; look for the Gilbert Stuart portrait of George Washington's cook, and note how closely the composition and rendering resemble the artist's famous painting of the Founding Father. Two halls are devoted to the impressionists and postimpressionists, including many works by Pissarro and a few each by Renoir, Monet, Degas, Van Gogh, and Cézanne. Find Pissarro's Saint-Honoré Street in the Afternoon, Effect of Rain for a jolt of mortality, or Renoir's Woman with a Parasol in a Garden for a sense of bucolic beauty lost.

Within 20th-century art, the collection is strong on dynamic German expressionism, with some works by Georgia O'Keeffe and Andrew Wyeth along with Hoppers, Bacons, Rauschenbergs, and Lichtensteins. The temporary exhibits can be fascinating, and in summer, are sometimes open until 11 PM. A rooftop restaurant serving tapas and drinks is open in the summer until past midnight. Note that you can buy tickets in advance online.

  • Cost: Permanent collection EUR 6, temporary exhibition EUR 5, combined EUR 9; EUR 14.40 combined Paseo del Arte (Art Walk) ticket for the Prado, Reina Sofia, and Thyssen-Bornemisza
  • Open: Tues.-Sun. 10-7
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Member Reviews and Ratings

Reviewed by bachslunch from US on 1/31/08
This place has a reputation as a museum containing minor works by major artists and major works by minor artists. While there's a little truth to that, it's still a must see. This is a very good collection -- not all worthy paintings show up in art history anthologies. Would be the best museum in Madrid if the Prado weren't there.

Member Rating: 4.4
Ratings details: Experience: 5.0 Ease: 4.0 Value: 4.0 Don't Miss: 4.0

Reviewed by Guiki04 from Porto,Portugal on 6/29/07
It is worth the visit just to see the masterpiece "Ballerina basculando" by Degas.

Member Rating: 4.8
Ratings details: Experience: 5.0 Ease: 4.0 Value: 5.0 Don't Miss: 5.0
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