Spanish Nude Art Exhibition at the Museo Carmen Thyssen Málaga

This exhibition explores the evolution of the nude in Spanish art from 1870 to 1970, tracing its journey from academic ideals to avant-garde rebellion. Featuring nearly ninety works, it examines how artists shifted from representing universal beauty to depicting the physical diversity and complex reality of the human body.

The exhibition brings together nearly ninety works that tell a story of the nude in Spanish art, unbound by traditional constraints. It offers a subjective survey that traces the genre's transformation from the late 19th century into the modern period, where artists began to challenge the academic ideal and embrace a more diverse representation of humanity. Through the early 20th century, the nude evolved from a symbol of perfection to a site of experimentation, reflecting the influence of avant-garde movements and a new focus on physical reality and self-knowledge. The narrative also addresses the complex challenges faced by artists during the 19th-century stigmas and the constraints of the Franco dictatorship, where modern experimentation was often forced underground, camouflaged, or relegated to the fringes. By displaying a wide range of nudes—from figurative and youthful to deconstructed and ambiguous forms—the exhibition highlights the paradigm shift in how the body was seen and captured. Works by artists such as Sorolla, Picasso, Saura, and Miró demonstrate the broad spectrum of approaches that redefined the possibilities of the human nude in the face of moral, social, and political change.

The exhibition is located in the temporary exhibition room on the third floor of the museum. Please check the official museum website for details regarding general admission and potential booking requirements for temporary exhibitions.