Add a review of the National Museum of Decorative Arts in Madrid

The Spanish National Museum of Decorative Arts in Madrid is one of the oldest museums in the city, opened in 1912. The first museum of applied but fancifully made objects appeared in London - the Victoria and Albert Museum, and not looking at him, and all the other capitals got the same, and Madrid - including.

The Museum of Decorative Arts collects items of so-called small art. In Russia, this concept is rarely used, but in Western Europe it is fairly well known. Accordingly, the "great art" includes three sections: painting, sculpture and architecture. In the "small" - the production of all other material items produced for practical use: glass, ceramics, textiles, clothing, weapons, furniture, musical instruments, dishes, etc., and also decorative items.

Rembrandt's canvases in such museums can not be found, but then his neighbor's clothes or his client's desk can be found.

So, the point is that this museum collects bizarre works of human hands, created mainly for the decoration of everyday life. The main requirement for an exhibit in such collections is to be a work of art, but still retain some functionality. The exhibits can be both ancient and modern.

Collection

In this museum you can see collections of glass objects from different epochs, beginning with Roman products of the 4th century BC, ceramics (from ancient Greek black and red vases to modern kitchen objects ), textiles (from the Sun King's crinolines to the costumes of Coco Chanel) and a host of others. There are shoes, dishes, carpets (including medieval ones) and much else. Separately, a collection of jewelry is located.

Especially the museum is proud of two sections. The first is a collection of furniture. It is called "From Gothic to Baroque" and includes items from the 14th to the 18th century. This is the best museum collection of historical furniture in the country. The second famous section is "Eastern Art". Here you can find Chinese porcelain, ancient musical instruments, silk, glass and much more.

Such museums are good because all exhibits here require a high level of safety. To appreciate the creation of the master, this creation should be clearly visible. So here if silk is a whole dress with a wonderful embroidery, if the ancient Roman production of a perfume bottle is a whole, not broken. Shards, shreds and splinters, these museums, unlike archaeological, do not take.

Be sure to go here if you like beautiful life or just good and unusual things. Rembrandt's canvases are not found in such museums, but his neighbor's clothes, his customer's desk, or something like that can be found here. Such collections are always interesting and always unexpected

Collection overview

Practical information

Address: Madrid, C. Montalban, 12, Museo Nacional de Artes Decorativas.

Getting there is easiest on the metro - you need to go to stations Banco de Espana or Retiro (line 2)

Ticket price: 3 EUR (for autumn 2014)

The museum works from Tuesday to Saturday from 9:30 to 15:00, on Sunday from 10: 00 to 15:00, and on Thursdays - from 17:00 to 20:00 (except July and August).