Must-See Mediums and Masterpieces: Visiting the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya

By Ashley Hearn

Barcelona boasts over 80 museums, each vying for attention and appreciation. It can be overwhelming to narrow down which ones to visit, especially in a city so rich in artistic expression.

Look no further than the Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya (MNAC) for a history lesson on Catalan culture and a glimpse of pieces from some of Spain’s most acclaimed artists.

History

Thanks to the 1990 Catalan Museum Law, the permanent collections in the National Art Museum of Catalonia include artwork spanning from the 11th to 20th centuries. Under this law, the Catalonia Museum of Art and the Museum of Modern Art were conjoined to create a national museum.

Museumgoers can roam through extensive Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque and Modern art exhibits in just an afternoon, all under one roof.

Before getting the chance to marvel at modern art and relish the Romanesque relics, visitors must venture up Montjuïc hill to Paula Nacional. This massive, Spanish-renaissance and Italian-inspired building is where the MNAC calls home.

The journey to the top may be long enough to break a sweat, but each flight of stairs reveals a new vantage point of the bustling city below.

Before experiencing artwork from the last thousand years, visitors are met with the grand, yet inviting, Paula Nacional, or the National Palace, and its views.

The Paula Nacional was built for the 1929 International Exposition in Barcelona. Nearly a century ago, the flowing fountains and attractive architecture appealed to millions of international Expo visitors. Today, the allure and prestige remain.

Art aficionados, history buffs and avid Instagrammers from across the world make visiting the Paula Nacional, and its art-filled interior, a priority on their Barcelona bucket lists. It’s only fitting that some of Spain’s most coveted art pieces reside in a place of such prominence.

Paula Nacional’s picturesque view attracts thousands of tour groups and vacationers daily. The museum itself recorded just short of 850,000 visitors in 2019, according to a press release.

What to Know Before You Go

Smartphones typically serve as a distraction in museum settings, but here, the staff encourages visitors to download the Museu Nacional d’Art Second Canvas app before arriving. The app enhances the experience for those who are unfamiliar with Spanish and Catalan by providing audio guides and additional information in other languages.

A minimum of two hours is recommended for a visit throughout the museum’s two stories. However, with 80-plus rooms, it’s easy to see how art enthusiasts can lose track of time. Fortunately, tickets typically cost no more than €12 and allow visitors to return on another date within the month of purchase.

Don’t miss it

From monastery mural paintings to controversial caricature-like cartoons, the artwork found here contains mediums and messages for all people.

Art attracts all ages. A local school held a field trip throughout the Gothic Art section of the museum where children were instructed to sketch their surroundings. Who knows, maybe one of these kids will be one of Spain’s up-and-coming artists.

For art dominated by religion, the first floor’s Medieval collections are the place to go. If seeing big names, like Picasso and Gaudi, is deemed most important, head upstairs to the Modern art exhibit.

Even though the Picasso Museum is only 3 miles away, the MNAC possesses one of Picasso’s most notable portraits: Woman in Hat and Fur Collar (Marie-Thérèse Walter).

Overall, the museum’s appeal is derived from its diversity, which shows the evolution of art trends and culture coursing through Spain over the past centuries.

It can be hard to fully grasp the amount of talent and history found only feet away. While there are thousands of pieces to explore, a few particularly stick out.

Apse of Santa Maria d'Àneu”: A Romanesque mural

Mural paintings are arguably the jewel of the museum’s world-renowned Romanesque collection.

Despite dating back to the 11th through 13th centuries, many murals remain largely intact. The diligence of Catalan institutions is credited for preventing private art collectors from splitting up these masterpieces.

Efforts like these have resulted in the museum reigning as the most important Romanesque collection in the world.

One must-see mural on display is the “Apse of Santa Maria d'Àneu,” which combines themes from the Old and New Testaments. While much of the paint is lost, researchers have been able to reconstruct the mural’s many messages—ranging from the influence of choir chants to the birth of Jesus.

The “Apse of Santa Maria d'Àneu” was made by the Master of Pedret at the end of the 11th or beginning of the 12th century.

“Altarpiece of the Corpus Christi”: A Gothic art altarpiece

Debi Lane, a museumgoer from New York, stood in deep thought trying to make sense of a two-paneled piece.

“You don’t see many like those two,” Lane said. “That’s incredible.”

She was right.

The “Altarpiece of the Corpus Christi” is classified as the only intact example in Catalan Gothic art of a frontal and altarpiece made for the same alter. It’s known for this, alongside its display of the Eucharist and anti-Semitism.

The “Altarpiece of the Corpus Christi” that Debi Lane is pointing to was believed to be crafted in the mid-14th century

It’s art like this that holds meaning for different people.

Even though Romanesque, Gothic and parts of Renaissance art include explicit depictions of religion, it doesn’t mean it’s only marveled by those who practice.

“This type of Gothic art is something I’ve always been drawn to,” she said. “I wasn’t brought up in religion, so as an adult I’ve been very fascinated by art and religion.”

Some saunter through the museum with a sense of reverence, looking for the biblical interpretations within art. Others, like Lane, are simply appreciative of each work’s unique touch.

Modern art’s evolving exhibits

The second floor of the museum is where the most recent work will be found. The Modern art displays date from the 19th to the mid-20th century.

Under the umbrella category of Modern art, there is Modernisme’s challenge of the status quo rivaled by Noucentisme. In newly added rooms, Spanish Civil War propaganda pops out with vibrant colors. Around the corner, one temporary exhibit shares society’s struggle with pregnancy. The opposite way lies carved ash wood furniture sets and decorations.

The above images show the variety found in the Modern Art exhibit.

With each turn, there are new themes to uncover, arguably more so here than in the downstairs Renaissance, Romanesque and Gothic art sections.

Museum employee Lydia Garcia had time to study all the works in the MNAC since her hiring in 2008. When asked what her favorite part of the museum was, Garcia was quick with her answer.

“Medieval age is only religion unusually, but modern art is different things,” she said. “I prefer Modernism.”

She shifts posts throughout the day but cherishes her time people-watching in the Modern art quarter of the museum.

Lydia Garcia confidently called the MNAC her favorite museum. Above, she’s situated at one of her nooks, ready to answer questions of museumgoers about Modern art.

Overall, the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya is a must-see. The work detailed above is only a small fraction of what there is to experience.

Take the time to experience the history of Spain through a rather universal language—art.

For more information about the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya, visit its website.