Art and Potatoes

The Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum

            One of the greatest attributes of the city of Madrid and of Spain in general, is its deep love of the arts.  Located within the city in a fairly small area are three of the best art museums in all of Europe.  Of course, the shining star of these three is the Prado which is regarded as one of the three greatest art museums in the world.  Although the Prado may get the most attention, the other two are no slouches.  The Reina Sofia is a top notch modern art museum.  Although a little avant-garde for my tastes, it is a wonderful repository of works by twentieth century artists like Picasso, Dalí, and Georges Braque. It is also home to one of the greatest Spanish paintings of all time, La Guernica.  La Guernica represents Picasso’s twisted view of the Spanish Civil War.

            The third museum in this holy trinity of art is the relatively new Thyssen-Bornemisza.  The Thyssen was formed in the early 1990’s to display one of the greatest private collections of art in the world.  Over the course of two generations, the Thyssen-Bornemisza family has collected art.  In many cases they were responsible for bringing master works back to Europe that had been relocated to the United States at the end of the nineteenth and beginning of the twentieth century.  Using the Great Depression in the United States, Baron Thyssen-Bornemisza de Kászon was able to raid the collections of many an American millionaire, amassing the second largest private collection in the world. The only larger collection of privately held art was owned by the British Royal family. 

            After the death of the first Baron Thyssen Bornemisza his son, also known as Baron Thyssen Bornmisza, continued to collect art and to add to the collection.  In 1981 the younger Baron married Carmen Cervera, a former Miss Spain.  Although her husband passed away in 2002, Carmen Bornemisza continues to support the museum and add to the collection.  Recently an addition was added on to the original museum in order to house over 200 paintings from Carmen Thyssen’s personal collection.  She started collecting in the mid 1980’s under the guidance of her husband. 

            To me the Thyssen-Bornemisza is the art museum to visit in Madrid if you are short on time or can only get to one of the three.  Although the Prado has the most impressive collection, it sheer immensity makes it difficult to see in one day.  In many cases the Prado holds quite a few works by each artist while the Thyssen usually has only one or two. With the Thyssen-Bornemisza, it’s kind of like ordering the captain’s platter at Red Lobster.  You don’t get a lot of any one thing, but each tasty fried morsel brings something to the meal. To put it best, it’s an art museum for people who aren’t quite sure what type of art they like.  Every room brings a new artist, a different style, or a different type of work.

            Entering the Thyssen, you begin at the reception counter where they collect your admission and have information, maps etc…   Like any larger museum in the city, maps are available in multiple languages.  Admission to the Thyssen for an adult is 8 euro, which includes the entire permanent collection and the new wing with the collection of Carmen Thyssen.  In addition they do run special exhibits which can cost more.  When I visited, they were running a special exhibition called Heroinas.  More on this later.

            Because it would be impossible to tell you about all the works in the Thyssen, I’ve decided to choose three of my favorites to share with you in this format.  The first of these is by Hans Holbein the younger.  Born in 1497 in Augsburg, Holbein is known as one of the greatest portrait artists of the 16^th century.  In 1526 he went to England, at the recommendation of Erasmus, where he was quickly brought into the humanist movement.  It was in England where he earned his great reputation.  Beginning in 1535, he became the officially portrait artist of the king.  It was in this capacity that he produced the work below.

Hans Holbein the younger Portrait of Henry VIII of England, 1534-1536

            The second picture that I saw that really stuck out to me was by the Dutch Master, Rembrandt.  Born in 1606 Rembrandt achieved early success as a portrait artist.  Throughout his life as an artist, one of Rembrandt’s favorite projects was the self portrait.  Between 1652 and 1699 alone he painted fifteen different self portraits.  The self portrait on display at the Thyssen comes prior to this period, but is no less impressive.

Rembrandt Self-Portrait, 1643

            The final painting I’d like to mention is by the artist, Thomas Gainsborough.  Gainsborough is not as well known as the other two.  Personally I had never heard of him until I read a book penned by an art dealer with a love of Gainsborough’s work.  After seeing the painting below, in person, I can understand his appreciation.  Some paintings have a way of conveying the emotions of their subjects.  You feel the pain, the happiness, the frustration.  These are the images that stand out as you enter a room.  No matter what company they are displayed alongside, they stick out.  Gainsborough’s Portrait of Sarah Buxton is one of these images.

Thomas Gainsborough Portrait of Sarah Buxton, 1776-1777

            My only complaint about the Thyssen is a personal one.  Their lone image by my favorite artist, the Italian Master, Caravaggio was being shown as part of the Heroinas special exhibit, meaning I’ll have to wait until my next visit to lay eyes upon it.  I guess this will teach me in the future to splurge on the extra admission for the special exhibit.

            After finishing my visit with modern artists like Georgia O’Keefe and Thomas Hopper I decided to head out for a considerably less sophisticated lunch at local chain restaurant, Patatas Bravas.  As you might of guessed, Patatas Bravas specializes in potatoes, not just any potatoes though.  They specialize in perfectly fried potato chunks served with a spicy red brava sauce.  Their sauce has become so popular in Madrid that they have actually begun bottling it for sale. They do for potatoes what BW3 and Quaker Steak and Lube do for chicken wings in the United States.  The branch of Patatas Bravas I went to was located just off Puerta del Sol, a ten minute walk from the Thyssen Bornemizsa, and an excellent spot to hop onto the metro for the ride home. 

Patatas Bravas

La Fiesta de San Isidro

San Isidro de Labrador

The Patron Saint of Madrid

            One of the more interesting differences between living in Europe and the United States is the public expression of religious belief.  Unlike in the United States where some churches seem almost desperate to share their message, the Catholic Church here takes a much more laid back approach.  The Church in Spain is an institution that has been around for nearly two thousand years. They don’t feel a need to prove themselves. Unlike in the United States, there is no separation of church and state and Catholicism is supported by the state.  Here there are no worries about public funded religious symbolism, “one nation under God”, or the Ten Commandments being displayed in public.  Religion, society, and government are intertwined for better or worse.

            All in all, ninety-four percent of Spaniards identify themselves as Catholic.  Despite this, fifty-four percent only admit to attending mass for weddings and funerals.  Even with their failure to attend mass on a regular basis, most Spaniards still take a great deal of pride in their traditional celebrations.  Events like Saint’s days and religious processions.  In Madrid, one of the most important days of the year is May 15^th, the celebration of Saint Isadore the Laborer.

            Isadore, or Isidro as he was known in Spain, was born in the small village of Madrid in 1070.  San Isidro spent his days working as a day laborer for Juan De Vargas, with most of his time spent behind a plow in his master’s fields.  Like all Saints, Isidro is credited with many miracles during his sixty years on Earth.  Among other things, he is said to have attended mass every morning before going out to work.  In one instance several of the other day laborers complained that Isidro was always the last to the field.  When his master went to check on Isidro one morning, instead of the laborer, he found an angel doing his plowing.  The angel was there so that Isidro could attend mass and not anger his master.  In another story, Isidro is said to have done the work of three men as he was assisted by two angels in all he did.

            Among his many credited miracles, San Isidro’s sainthood is tied to several spots in Madrid.  The first of these is San Isidro’s well, which is located on the spot of his former master’s home.  Just off the Plaza de San Andrés, the site is today the Museo de Origenes.  Originally known as the Museo de San Isidro, today’s Museo de Origenes houses a number of archaeological finds including Roman tile flooring, ancient pottery, and other items related to Madrid’s early history.  While the Museum has sought to become more than just a site to honor Isidro, the vast majority of those who visit are still looking to learn more about the Saint.

            Tucked away in the lower level of the Museum is the site of one of Isidro’s most famous miracles.  To reach San Isidro’s well, you descend a set of stairs into a small cylinder shaped room.  The walls are adorned with images of the Saint, and set directly in the center of the floor is a plain well.  The well is certainly nothing spectacular to look at.  It is somewhat deteriorated and today has been covered with plexi-glass to prevent further decay.  Descending fairly deep, the well is the site of one of Isidro’s greatest miracles.  According to the story, San Isidro’s infant son fell down the well and was drowning.  In an effort to save the young man, both Isidro and his wife Maria prayed to God for a miracle.  Before the child drowned, the laborer’s prayers were answered as the water in the well rose and Isidro was able to save his young sons life.

San Isidro's Well

            Another important site to the history of Madrid and San Isidro is the meadow named in his honor.  Today San Isidro’s meadow has been renamed El Parque De San Isidro.  It sits just outside the city near the banks of the Manzanares River.   Legend has it that during his lifetime, San Isidro spent his days here tending to his master’s fields.  Passing many a dusty day in the hot Madrid sun Isidro was often visited by his master.  One day while his master was speaking with Isidro, he complained of the lack of water to drink in the meadow.  San Isidro’s answer to his master was to ask for God’s help in satisfying his master’s thirst.  Isidro prayed to God and struck the ground with his staff.  Flowing forth from where he struck the ground was a crystal clear spring.

La Ermita de San Isidro (The Hermitage)

            Today that spring still flows at San Isidro’s meadow.  On the very site where Isidro quenched his master’s thirst there is now a hermitage, la Ermita de San isidro.  At the side of the hermitage, in an enclosed courtyard, is a pipe that flows with water from San Isidro’s spring.  This water is said to have curative powers, and several monarchs and other important figures have come to the hermitage looking for a cure to what ails them.

Entrance to the courtyard at La Ermita de San Isidro

San Isidro's Spring

            In celebration of San Isidro’s day, May 15^th, my family made the pilgrimage to San Isidro’s meadow.  This is a tradition held by many generations of Madrileños.  One of Francisco Goya’s most famous paintings depicts the meadow during the fiesta de San Isidro.

Goya's painting of San Isidro's Meadow on the Saint's Day

            Today, the fiesta resembles more of a party or county fair than it does a religious celebration.  There are booths with food, sweets, and breads.  You can buy souvenirs, t-shirts, or even pottery.  Despite the modern twist on the celebration, there are still elements that hark back to an earlier time.  Many Madrileños still come to the fiesta in traditional dress. 

Traditional Dress

            Another carryover from past times are rosaquillas.  Almost every booth has these, which are a tasty sweet shaped to resemble an American donut.  Instead of the consistency of a donut, they have a dry, flaky texture and are usually covered with sugar, meringue, or  chocolate.  Some other flavors we saw at this year’s festival were cherry, orange, and lemon.   In addition to the icing, Rosequillos are made with anis giving them a distinct flavor. 

Merigue Rosaquillas

            Although many today travel to San Isidro’s meadow more for the party than for the Saint, there are still those who wish to remember the real meaning of the day.  To these individuals a visit to the meadow on May 15^th would be incomplete without drinking from the famous spring that makes the spot special.  Our family sought out the genuine experience as we joined the line that formed, winding from the courtyard and into the street, well away from the hermitage.  Despite the length of the line, we soon found ourselves in the courtyard and looking at the spring.  Arranged in front of the pipe flowing from San Isidro’s miracle spring were men with pitchers who filled the bottles of the faithful.  For our part, we gave our offering and joined in with the locals to sip from glasses of water arranged on the table.  Afterwards we took our pictures and headed back out into the sea of people.

            Although we expect no miracles to come from sipping from San Isidro’s spring, it is experiences like this one that my family will remember long after we have left Spain and headed back to the United States. However brief, these moments open a window into the rich culture and heritage of Spain.            

            

Ben and Doug showing off their traditional Spanish caps.



9/11, 11-M, and the Death of Osama Bin Laden

Madrid's 11-M Memorial

I had originally intended to write this article a week ago.  In the wake of the United States raid that killed Osama Bin Laden, I knew I had something to say.  During the past week, that something has evolved as I’ve continued to watch the endless coverage and witnessed the world wide reaction from here in Spain.  To further try and understand, I chose last week to visit the 11-M memorial at the Atocha Train Station in Madrid.  Much like our own September 11^th disaster, the Spanish too have had their brush with the senseless violence of radical terrorist groups.

            On the morning of March 11, 2004, residents of the city of Madrid boarded the commuter trains or Cercanias as they had done many mornings previous.  Like those who arrived at work in the twin towers on September 11^th, 2001, they had no inkling that the events of that day would forever change their lives.  Unbeknownst to the victims, there were others boarding the trains that morning who had an agenda of violence.  In all, thirteen backpack bombs were carried onto the trains.  Of the thirteen, ten would be detonated by bombers, while the other three were safely detonated by the authorities.  Although not on the scale of the September 11^th attacks in the United States, the Madrid bombings left 191 innocent people dead and injured an additional 1800.  The attack was the worst ever on Spanish soil and the worst in Europe since the Lockerbie Bombing in 1988.

            With the general election in Spain only three days after the bombing, many conspiracy theories were tossed about and most agree that the bombings cost incumbent Jose Marià Aznar of the Partido Popular the election.  Immediately following the incident, Aznar speculated that the bombings were the actions of the ETA a Basque separatist group similar to the IRA in Ireland.  Aznar’s speculation cost him the election to challenger and current Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero. 

            Later, after a 21 month investigation, it was determined that the ETA had nothing to do with the March 11^th bombings.  Instead, the attack was determined to have been carried out by a Moroccan terrorist leading a cell that was described as Al Qaeda inspired.  Although no direct link has been found between Bin Laden or Al Qaeda and the Moroccan cell, it is impossible not to place some of the blame at their feet.

11-M Memorial (Street View)

            Today, tucked away in the Atocha Train Station, the Spanish government has constructed a monument to the victims of March 11^th, or 11-M as it is referred to here.  From above ground, the monument looks like a coffee can set amidst a traffic circle, but viewed from inside the monument is a touching tribute to the many individuals who lost their lives in the attack.  The interior of the memorial is painted a royal blue which sharply contrasts the light entering the space from above.  The effect is breathtaking.  As you near the skylight of the memorial you glimpse the touching messages scrawled in many different languages on the interior of the portal above.  Some messages are memorials, while others aim to inspire hope in the face of evil.  Coming in all languages, the text was chosen from the thousands of messages of condolence received in the days following the bombings.  These emotional messages were then inscribed on a balloon like membrane that remains inflated in the cylinder through air pressure. 

Interior of cylinder of the 11-M Memorial showing the messages of condolence.

            As I stood looking up into the messages of condolence, I was struck by how similar our experiences are as human beings.  Like many Americans I sat on my couch 9/11 and watched live as the world I lived in was forever transformed by a senseless act of cowardice.  What Osama Bin Laden took from us that day was something that may never again be restored in the United States, at least not in my lifetime.  He took our sense of security.  Much like the surprise attack by the Japanese at Pearl Harbor in 1941, we never dreamed that such destruction could be possible on our shores.  My own personal feeling though is that 9/11 was far worse than Pearl Harbor because those being attacked were not soldiers or government personnel.  They were innocent citizens doing nothing more than going about their daily business as productive members of society.  As difficult as it must be for those who have family members in the military, fire department, or police, they understand the risks that their loved ones face every day when they go to work.  The same cannot be said for an accountant who worked on the 50^th floor of one of the World Trade Center towers.

            Moving forward ten years, I found myself again glued to the computer and news channels as coverage of the raid that killed Bin Laden was broadcast.  What struck me this time was the varied reactions to the news.  Some cheered and celebrated, while others condemned the celebration of any individual’s death, and one particular asinine football player tweeted a defense of Bin Laden.  My reaction fell somewhere in the middle.  I didn’t pop a bottle of champagne and head to the streets to celebrate, but I don’t fault those who did. In New York and Washington they were touched by the attacks in ways I’ll never fully understand.

What I find myself feeling is a sense of retribution.  Retribution for all those innocent business men and women, for the accountants and stock brokers, for the police and fire fighters, the ones who went to work and never came home.  They didn’t sign up to fight in Al Qaeda’s holy war, they simply got caught in the middle.  For all of the innocent people and their families, I’m glad our government and our military kept after Bin Laden and I’m glad that even though it took ten long years, they got him.  I refuse to feel guilt for the United States ridding the world of such pure evil. 

            These are the thoughts that swirled through my head as I stood looking up into Madrid’s 11-M memorial.  Although my physical body was in Spain, my heart was back in the United States.  Although it will never heal the pain and suffering of those that lost a loved one at Ground Zero, the Pentagon, or in Pennsylvania, I hope they find a sense of comfort in knowing that justice has been served.     

Segovia in Pictures

The four of us at Alcazar



To celebrate Mother's Day in Spain (Dia de la Madre), our family decided to take our first trip outside of Madrid.  We travelled 90 km to the town of Segovia.  A trip to Segovia is like taking a trip back in time to the old world.  The original section of town features a Roman Aqueduct, a 15th century cathedral, and the 1862 reconstruction of the 12th century castle of Alcazar.  Unlike some of my previous posts, I'm going to keep my words to a minimum.  The pictures of this beautiful old town tell enough of the story.

View of the Cathedral from Alcazar

View of Segovia

Benjamin in the Plaza de San Martin

Iglesia de San Martin (Church of Saint Martin) 13th century

Labor march near the Aqueduct



The Roman Aqueduct

Constructed in 50 A.D. the Roman Aqueduct was used to bring water from 18 kilometers away.  Built with no mortar, it remained in use through the 19th century. 

Segovia's Roman Aqueduct viewed from the city's 11th century wall.

Standing 28 meters high, the aqueduct is constructed of 20,000 granite blocks.

Kelly and I in front of the Aqueduct.



In 1474, Isabel was crowned queen of Castille in La Iglesia de San Miguel (Church of Saint Miguel).  Most Americans recognize her as the Queen who financed Christopher Columbus on his voyage to the New World in 1492. 

Exterior of the Church of San Miguel

Plaque commemorating the coronation of Queen Isabel of Castille. 

Interior of the Church of San Miguel

After the destruction of the original Cathedral of Segovia in 1521, work began on a new gothic cathedral.  Fifty years later work was completed on the new Cathedral of Segovia.  This imposing structure dominates the western corner of Segovia's Plaza Mayor.

View of the Cathedral of Segovia taken from Plaza Mayor.

Entrance to the Cathedral of Segovia

Located on the fortified western edge of Segovia, Alcazar rises dramatically from the landscape.  Originally constructed in the 12th century, it was used as a royal residence for the Austrian monarchs.  Much of the original castle was destroyed by a devastating fire in 1862.  Today the castle has been fully restored and reconstructed.  Walt Disney is said to have modeled Sleeping Beauty's Castle in California after Alcazar.

Alcazar

Spanish flag flying over Alcazar

Tower at Alcazar

Benjamin at Alcazar