Spend a couple of hours inside a former convent to explore 600 years of Spanish art, including masterpieces by Seville’s greatest Baroque painters.
Trace the evolution of art in Seville with a visit to the Museum of Fine Arts. Located inside a former convent that dates back to 1612, the museum contains spacious rooms filled with Spanish art from the Middle Ages to the 20th century. The collection focuses on the Seville School and artists such as Francisco de Zurbarán and Juan de Valdés Leal.
The museum has been impressing crowds since 1841. Its collections are spread out on two floors and arranged in chronological order. The exhibitions include many religious-themed works plundered from convents and monasteries by the Spanish government during the 1830s. Start in the first room on the ground floor to view some of the museum’s oldest works, including paintings and sculptures from the 15th century. Inside the old convent’s church is the Murillo Collection, which features large canvases by Bartolomé Esteban Murillo, a leading artist in 17th-century Seville.
Go up to the next floor to see large altar paintings and 18th-century murals by Domingo Martinez. The rooms of the upper floor feature many pieces by Zurbarán and Leal, as well as works by artists from other European painting schools.
Among the museum’s highlights are the life-size sculpture of Saint Jerome Penitent by Pietro Torrigiano, The Virgin of Las Cuevas by Francisco de Zurbarán and El Greco's painting of his son Jorge Manuel.
Take advantage of your time here to appreciate the old building. The main façade and original Baroque porch feature elements from the original convent, including the Our Lady of Mercy statue. Stroll along the courtyards decorated with flowers, trees and ceramic tiles.
The museum’s collection can be viewed every day except Monday. A small admission fee applies. The gallery’s central location near the Plaza de Toros bullring makes it easily accessible by public transportation. Alternatively, park your car in the metered garages in Plaza de Armas and Plaza de la Concordia.
