Experience a renaissance at the Milwaukee Art Museum this spring. A new golden age is dawning at the iconic landmark along the city’s waterfront, and you’re invited to experience it for yourself. The museum’s latest exhibition is set to showcase the spectacular, awe-inspiring paintings by Hispanic artists who shaped the art of the Renaissance and Baroque eras.
Renaissance and Baroque masterpieces from the most significant collection of Hispanic art outside of Spain will travel to the Milwaukee Art Museum this spring for “The Brilliance of the Spanish World: El Greco, Velázquez, Zurbarán.”
Drawn from the collection of the Hispanic Society Museum & Library, the exhibition features more than 50 works of art by influential Hispanic artists of the era and will be on view May 2–July 27, 2025, in Baker/Rowland Galleries.
In the 16th and 17th centuries, Spain established the first worldwide empire through exploration and colonial conquest, generating wealth that led to the flourishing of art and literature. This exhibition gives visitors a glimpse into this era of artistic ambition and cultural complexity, showcasing its artistic legacy with paintings by El Greco, Diego Velázquez and Bartolomé Esteban Murillo, as well as works by artists working in the Spanish Americas.
“The Brilliance of the Spanish World” offers visitors the chance to experience a collection of remarkable Renaissance and Baroque paintings by Hispanic artists. Among its roster of renowned artists is Francisco de Zurbarán, whose “Saint Francis of Assisi in His Tomb” (1630/34) defined the ambitious course of the Milwaukee Art Museum’s own European collection.
The exhibition showcases paintings that range from the vividly secular to the profoundly religious, created in service of the Roman Catholic faith, whether in Spain or its many colonies. Highlights include:
- “Saint Jerome” by El Greco (Doménikos Theotokópoulos), ca. 1600. Portrays the quintessential early Christian saint holding a crucifix, with books, a skull, and an hourglass before him—all in the artist’s recognizable Mannerist style.
- “Gaspar de Guzmán, Count-Duke of Olivares” by Diego Velázquez, ca. 1625–1626 – Depicts one of the most influential figures of his day and emphasizes the vast power he wielded.
- “Saint Emerentiana” by Francisco de Zurbarán, ca. 1635–1640 – Features the saint holding a book and stones—the instruments of her martyrdom—in a likeness marked by Zurbarán’s mastery of sculptural form and the depiction of elaborate textiles.
- “The Wedding at Canna” by Nicolás de Correa, 1696 – Illustrates the biblical story in which Jesus miraculously makes wine from water at a wedding he attends. A unique art form developed in the Spanish colonies in the late 17th century, enconchados are paintings on wood panels inlaid with shells and iridescent mother-of-pearl.
- “The Prodigal Son Among the Swine” by Bartolomé Esteban Murillo, 1656–1665 – Shows the biblical parable of the Prodigal Son, in which a young man begs for forgiveness after squandering his inheritance. This subject was especially relevant as Southern Spain experienced widespread suffering due to plague and famine during Murillo’s lifetime.
The Milwaukee Art Museum will take visitors beyond the canvas, bringing these masterpieces to life and highlighting achievements from this period in Hispanic history with programs including gallery talks and curator-led tours.
As a part of this programming, on Thursday, May 15, the Milwaukee Art Museum will host a lecture by Spanish Baroque art scholar and curator Rebecca Long about the art and life of El Greco.
Uncover your own personal renaissance! Learn more about “The Brilliance of the Spanish World” and get your tickets today.
