Museo de Arte Moderno y Contemporáneo de Santander y Cantabria facts for kids
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| Established | 1907 |
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| Location | C/ Rubio, 6 Santander, Spain 39001 |
The Museo de Arte Moderno y Contemporáneo de Santander y Cantabria, often called MAS, is an art museum located in Santander, Spain. It is a special place where you can see many different kinds of modern and contemporary artworks.
Contents
History of the MAS Museum
The MAS museum has a long and interesting history. It first opened its doors in 1908. Back then, it was known as the Biblioteca y Museo Municipales. This means it was both a library and a museum for the city.
Early Days of the Museum
In its very first years, the museum's collection was quite varied. It included not only paintings and sculptures but also items from archaeological sites. These were old objects found from past civilizations. The museum also had objects related to natural history and ethnology. Natural history is about plants and animals, and ethnology is about different cultures.
A New Home and New Focus
In 1923, the city built a brand new home for the library and museum. A famous architect named Leonardo Rucabado designed this building. After some years, in 1941, the library moved out. This meant the museum could use the entire building for its art.
The museum then started to change what it collected. It decided to focus mainly on paintings and sculptures. The archaeological, natural history, and ethnology items were given to other museums in Santander and the Cantabria region.
Changing Names and Collections
The museum reopened in 1947 with a new name: Museo Municipal de Pinturas. This translates to the Municipal Museum of Painting. A few years later, in 1957, its name changed again. It became the Museo Municipal de Bellas Artes de Santander, or the Municipal Museum of Fine Arts of Santander.
Between 1978 and 1993, the museum grew even more. It started collecting more works by younger artists. Many of these artists were from the Cantabria region itself. The inside of the museum was also updated during this time.
The museum has become more and more focused on modern and contemporary art. In 2011, it received its current name. It is now known as the Museum de Arte Moderno y Contemporáneo de Santander y Cantabria.
Art Collections at MAS
The MAS museum is home to a large collection of art. It has about 1,870 different artworks. These include paintings, sculptures, photographs, engravings, and installations. Installations are artworks that often fill a whole room or space.
Works from Different Centuries
About 100 of these artworks are very old. They were created by Spanish, Flemish, and Italian artists from the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries. All the other artworks are from the late 1800s up to today.
Most of the art in the museum is by Spanish artists. However, it also has about 150 works by artists from other countries. One famous piece is La muerte del toro (The Death of the Bull). This painting is by the Italian artist, Umberto Pettinicchio. The museum also has a set of etchings called the Vollard suite by the famous artist Pablo Picasso.
The Most Famous Painting
Perhaps the most well-known artwork in the MAS museum is a portrait of Ferdinand VII of Spain. This painting was created by the very famous Spanish artist, Francisco Goya.
