Aureliano de Beruete y Moret facts for kids
Aureliano de Beruete y Moret (born in 1876 in Madrid, died in 1922 in Madrid) was an important art expert and writer. He was the son of a famous painter, also named Aureliano de Beruete. From 1918 until his death, he was the Director of the Museo del Prado, a very famous art museum in Spain.
Contents
About Aureliano de Beruete y Moret
Early Life and Education
Aureliano de Beruete y Moret grew up in a family that believed in a special way of learning called Krausism. This method focused on freedom of thought and learning from experience. Many smart people in Spain at that time were taught this way.
He studied at the Universidad Complutense de Madrid. He earned a high degree in philosophy and literature. Soon after, he started writing articles about art for different magazines in Spain and other countries.
His Writings on Art
Aureliano de Beruete y Moret wrote many essays and books about art. Some of his writings were about general art topics, like The School of Madrid (published in 1909). He also wrote detailed studies about individual artists. These included books on Valdés Leal (1911), Velázquez en el Museo del Prado (1915), and Goya, pintor de retratos (1916).
Leading the Museo del Prado
In 1918, Aureliano de Beruete y Moret became the Director of the Museo del Prado. He took over from José Villegas Cordero. He was the first person who was not a painter to lead the museum since 1838!
During his time as director, he worked hard to keep the museum's art lists (catalogues) updated. He created a special team to help with this. This team included art historians like Juan Allende-Salazar, Francisco Javier Sánchez Cantón, and Pedro Beroqui Martínez. Experts from other countries also helped.
New Display Rooms and Name Change
In 1919, he created new rooms in the museum to show the works of famous artists like El Greco and Diego Velázquez. The next year, in 1920, he convinced King Alfonso XIII to change the museum's official name. It became the "Museo Nacional del Prado," which means the National Prado Museum.
Special Events at the Museum
During his leadership, the museum bought an artwork for the first time using money collected from the public. Also, in 1919, the museum celebrated its 100th birthday. This was a quiet celebration with talks given in the main gallery.
Art Collector and Donations
Aureliano de Beruete y Moret loved collecting art, just like his father. He owned many valuable pieces. One special item was a drawing by Michelangelo called the "Libyan Sibyl." This drawing is now in the Metropolitan Museum in New York.
In 1921, he gave some of his father's artworks to the Museo de Arte Moderno (MAM). This included a painting of his mother, "Doña Teresa Moret, señora de Beruete." When the MAM closed in 1971, these artworks were moved to the Prado Museum.
See also
In Spanish: Aureliano de Beruete y Moret para niños
