Sustaining Fellows Your Passport to Travel SEPTEMBER 23 30, 2018 Spanish Painting and Sculpture WITH GLORIA GROOM, CHAIR OF EUROPEAN PAINTING AND SCULPTURE AND DAVID AND MARY WINTON GREEN CURATOR AND REBECCA LONG, PATRICK G. AND SHIRLEY W. RYAN ASSOCIATE CURATOR PASSPORT
Toledo, the city of three cultures. Dear Sustaining Fellows, I invite you to join me on an illuminating trip through Spain with Art Institute curators Gloria Groom and Rebecca Long. Thoughtfully planned by our curatorial guides, this exploration of art, architecture, and cultural delights in the vibrant capital of Madrid and surrounding cities will provide you with a truly bespoke journey you can only experience with Sustaining Fellows travel. Rebecca s intimate knowledge of Spanish culture in part due to her time spent living in Madrid coupled with the expertise she and Gloria share will not only enrich our understanding of the works we see in Spain s museums and private collections but will also provide insight into and deepen our appreciation of the Art Institute s own exceptional holdings of 15th- through 19th-century Spanish works. Our travels include a day trip to Toledo, where famed Renaissance artist El Greco found an enthusiastic patronage and was immortalized through several major commissions, including the Art Institute s remarkable Assumption of the Virgin (1577 79). An icon of our collection, this monumental painting is the inspiration for the museum s 2020 exhibition, tentatively titled El Greco: The Creation of Genius. This painting was originally created as the centerpiece of the main altarpiece within the Monastery of Saint Dominic of Silos, one of the many historic locations we will explore. In addition to viewing the brilliant paintings and magnificent architecture for which Spain is well known, we will also examine the traditionally understudied and overlooked artistic tradition of polychrome sculpture a style of painted and gilded wood sculpture that has been produced in Spain from the 15th century to today. We hope you will join us on this one-of-a-kind trip in search of Spain s artistic treasures. Warmest wishes, Margot Levin Schiff Trip Host Sustaining Fellows Travel Committee Chair
TRIP HIGHLIGHTS SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 23 Meet up with fellow travelers upon arrival at the Westin Palace Madrid. Tour the Liria Palace, the private residence of the Dukes of Alba that houses a historical archive and collection of European art. Toast the start of the trip at a welcome dinner. Prado Museum, home to masterpieces by El Greco, Velázquez, Goya, and more. MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 24 Take a curator-led tour of the unique collection at the Prado Museum, home to the most complete collection of Spanish paintings from the 11th through the 18th century. Visit the former home of Spanish Impressionist painter Joaquín Sorolla the Sorolla Museum. View an excellent private collection of Spanish art. Enjoy dinner and entertainment at Corral de la Morería, one of the most prestigious flamenco stages in Madrid. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25 Travel to San Lorenzo de El Escorial to visit the exceptional monastery and royal palace built at the end of the 16th century that served as King Phillip II s retreat and center of political power. Before returning to Madrid, stop at the private country residence La Charca to view an impressive collection of works by Spanish Old Masters and 20th-century art. Enjoy the evening at leisure in Madrid. Rebecca Long discusses the Assumption of the Virgin in the paintings conservation lab. WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26 Explore Toledo, starting with a tour of the massive Toledo Cathedral. Considered the archetype of Spanish Gothic cathedrals, this church contains a spectacular altarpiece and paintings by El Greco. Tour the El Greco Museum, which houses many artworks by the Mannerist painter who spent three decades in Toledo. Explore the Monastery of Saint Dominic of Silos. This monastery church brought El Greco to Toledo in 1577 with a commission for spectacular sculptures, architecture, and paintings, including the Assumption of the Virgin. Visit the 14th-century Church of Saint Tomé, which features an impressive Mudéjar tower and one of El Greco s most famous paintings, The Burial of the Count of Orgaz. Enjoy a private tour of the Hospital of San Juan Bautista of Tavera, which now houses a striking collection of Spanish paintings, including five alterpieces by El Greco.
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 27 Venture to Valladolid for the day and explore the city s iconic churches, including the Valladolid Cathedral. Explore the National Sculpture Museum, which houses a collection of sculptures crafted in a variety of media, including polychrome wood, by great Spanish Renaissance and Baroque artists. Return to Madrid and enjoy the afternoon at leisure. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28 During a day in Segovia, visit the Alcázar of Segovia, the stone fortress that served as the official residence for the monarchs of Castile in the Middle Ages. Take a guided tour of Segovia Cathedral, the last Gothic cathedral built in Spain; then enjoy the city s Plaza Mayor. Tour one of the oldest churches in Segovia, the Romanesque-style San Millán Church, which features Mozarabic architectural elements and important sculptures. See the nearly 2,000-year-old Roman Aqueduct of Segovia that towers over the city. Gloria Groom with Art Institute travelers. SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 29 Privately tour the Monastery of Barefoot Royals and the Royal Monastery of the Incarnation, two of Madrid s royal monasteries that hold a wealth of art, including masterpieces by Titian and Rubens, and relics of saints. View one of the most important private collections of Old Master paintings in Madrid. Celebrate a wonderful trip at a farewell dinner. SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 30 Depart for home on independently arranged flights. The iconic Segovia Cathedral. reservations Tour per person (assuming a shared room)... 9,085 Single supplement... 1,150 The booking deadline is Friday, June 8, 2018, pending room availability. Reservations are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. To learn more and reserve your spot, please contact Elif Senturk, Sustaining Fellows travel coordinator, at esenturk@artic.edu or (312) 443-3848.
TERMS AND CONDITIONS The tour is sold as described. There are no refunds for unused portions of these segments. The tour price is based on a minimum number of 18 travelers. If fewer than 18 travelers participate, a price supplement may apply and/or the itinerary may be adjusted. Travelers must be active Sustaining Fellows. The Art Institute of Chicago strongly recommends that travelers purchase travel insurance. For more details and up-to-date travel news as well as the full list of inclusions, exclusions, and terms and conditions, please visit artic.edu/sf-travel. MEET THE CURATORS Gloria Groom Chair of European Painting and Sculpture and David and Mary Winton Green Curator Gloria is an accomplished scholar who specializes in French Impressionist and Post-Impressionist art. Since joining the Art Institute of Chicago in 1984, she has curated a number of celebrated shows, including Impressionism, Fashion, and Modernity (2013), Van Gogh s Bedrooms (2016), and Gauguin: Artist as Alchemist (2017). She is currently working on the upcoming exhibition Manet and Modern Beauty opening in 2019. Her vast accomplishments have garnered global attention. In 2015, she was named Chevalier dans l Ordre national de la Légion d honneur, one of the most prestigious awards given by the French government. Rebecca Long Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Associate Curator Rebecca oversees Spanish and Italian art before 1750. She completed her graduate studies at New York University s (NYU) Institute of Fine Arts, where her PhD dissertation focused on the role of Italian art and artists at the Spanish court. Before joining the Art Institute in 2015, she served as associate curator of European painting and sculpture before 1800 at the Indianapolis Museum of Art. She has held research fellowships from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Indianapolis Museum of Art, NYU s Villa La Pietra, and Harvard University s Villa I Tatti, and she has served as an adjunct professor of art history at Hunter College, the Fashion Institute of Technology, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, and Northwestern University. FUTURE SUSTAINING FELLOWS TRIPS* Weekender: Photography in New Orleans with Elizabeth Siegel OCTOBER 18 21, 2018 Weekender: Mexico City with Zoë Ryan FEBRUARY 2019 *Dates subject to change
SUSTAINING FELLOWS THE ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO 111 South Michigan Avenue Chicago, Illinois 60603 Spanish Painting and Sculpture September 23 30, 2018