I’ve lived in Madrid for almost one year. I’ve never lived in a city before moving to Madrid. I can’t always identify if new experiences are unique to Madrid or are common to metropolitan areas of this size. It doesn’t matter.
Living in a place, any place, where resources of money and time on this scale are dedicated to aesthetics purely for human enjoyment, has changed how I move through the world. The fashion is the function. Architectural fashion of the last seven centuries is what I see on my regular commute.
 |
| Palacio de Cibeles, Antonio Palacios, 1909 Fuente de Cibeles, Venture Rodriguez, 1782 |
Madrid, a center of European art, is known for the big three museums. A traveler with
limited time would not want to miss these collections. I’ve been to the Prado, Reina Sofia, and the Thyssen Bornemisza many times. For 37 Euros I bought an abono, an annual pass, to these museums, which includes free admission to many other national museums in Madrid and throughout Spain. I’ve seen collections come and go. It will never seem normal that I can spend so much time with this art.
 |
| El Greco, Woman in a Fur Wrap 1577-1580/ Paul Cezanne, Lady in a Fur Wrap after El Greco, 1885-1886
By living in Spain I have the luxury of experiencing the other art. The work that was created by people who wanted to surprise me.
|
The work that was meant for one single viewer at a time.  | ||
| Philip Vigarny, 1535 - The Primate Cathedral of Saint Mary of Toledo Art created by non-artists.
|
