Vilhelm Hammershøi's First Spanish Retrospective: The Eye that Listens at Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum

This exhibition is the first retrospective in Spain dedicated to the Danish artist Vilhelm Hammershøi, featuring around a hundred of his works. It explores his signature silent interiors, their ambiguity, and connections to other artists, while also delving into themes like his wife's role, his domestic spaces, and his self-portrayal.

The Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza presents the first retrospective in Spain dedicated to Vilhelm Hammershøi (1864-1916), offering a comprehensive survey of his oeuvre with approximately one hundred works. Despite the passage of over a century since his death, Hammershøi's paintings of quiet, often solitary interiors continue to resonate with viewers, evoking both appeal and unease through their inherent ambiguity. This exhibition aims to contextualize his work within broader European art movements and Danish contemporaries, as well as in relation to past masters from Dutch painters to 19th and 20th-century artists, all viewable within the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum's collection. The exhibition, subtitled 'the eye that listens,' references the metaphorical link between Hammershøi's art, the silence and calm it conveys, and the artist's documented interest in music. It delves into key themes such as the integral role of his wife, Ida Ilsted, in his creative process, the meticulous refinement of his domestic settings and architectural representations, and his engagement with self-portraiture in his later years. Organized in cooperation with the Kunsthaus Zürich, this exhibition provides an opportunity for the current generation of creators, historians, and the Spanish public to engage deeply with Hammershøi's distinctive artistic vision.

Tickets can be purchased with options for an audioguide or a notebook, as well as an 'Art & Lunch' package. Reduced and free ticket information is available, and visitors are directed to purchase tickets for the 'unique ticket' which grants access to the permanent collection and temporary exhibitions.