How did Britain fall in love with the arts of Spain? Together, we will trace some of the key moments of this special relationship, starting our narrative with the Peninsular wars (1808-1814) and continuing to the twentieth century. Taking into account British collections like Apsley House (home to the collection of the Duke of Wellington), The National Gallery and Kingston Lacy in Dorset, we will explore pictures like Velázquez’s Toilet of Venus (twice attacked by protesters), Murillo’s Self-portrait in an oval, which inspired William Hogarth, and Zurbarán’s St Francis in meditation which was criticized at the time of acquisition as a ‘small, black, repulsive picture’. Buildings like the Palace of the Alhambra in Granada will open the way to discussion of the influence of Islamic decoration on Victorian projects, from a pavilion in Kew Gardens to Crystal Palace in Sydenham.

Marta is a historian of early modern art, specializing in Hispanic and Italian art, with a focus on the intersections between visual and intellectual culture. Her research interests include iconography, the life of artists, portraiture, the religious image and history of collecting. She holds a PhD, and an M.A. in the Renaissance, from the Warburg Institute, University of London. She has worked both in academia and in museums, including at The British Museum, in the Prints & Drawings Department. Marta has published widely on topics relating to early modern art. Her monograph 'Francisco Pacheco y su Libro de retratos' (Marcial Pons, Madrid, 2011) was awarded the first Alfonso Pérez Sánchez International Research Prize. Her latest book 'Damaged Soul' (forthcoming 2024) is focused on the visual cultures of Saint Mary Magdalene in the Hispanic world. Her work has been supported by several institutions including the Villa I Tatti (Harvard), The Drawings Institute at the Morgan Library and Museum, The Italian Academy, Columbia University, CRASSH, University of Cambridge, the Fitzwilliam Museum, the CEEH and the University of Durham