National Museum of Sculpture, Valladolid Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids
National Museum of Sculpture

Museo Nacional de Escultura
Main facade of the Colegio de San Gregorio
Established	1842
Location	Colegio de San Gregorio, Valladolid, Spain
Type	Art museum, sculptural museum, Historic site
Visitors	145.606 (2012)

Spanish Property of Cultural Interest
Official name: Museo Nacional de Escultura
Type	Non-movable
Criteria	Monument
Designated	1962
Reference no.	RI-51-0001422

The National Museum of Sculpture (Spanish: Museo Nacional de Escultura) is a special art museum in Valladolid, Spain. It focuses on amazing sculptures. It's one of Spain's main national museums and is part of the country's Ministry of Culture.

This museum has a huge collection of sculptures. These artworks range from the Middle Ages up to the 19th century. Many pieces originally came from churches and monasteries in the Region of Castile. The government collected these religious art pieces in 1836. Other parts of the collection were given as gifts, loaned, or bought by the government.

The museum first opened on October 4, 1842. It was called the Provincial Museum of Fine Arts back then. Its first home was the Palacio de Santa Cruz. Later, on April 29, 1933, it moved to the Colegio de San Gregorio. Today, it also uses two other historic buildings: the 16th-century Palacio de Villena and Palacio del Conde de Gondomar.

The museum displays artworks from the 13th to the 19th centuries. Most of these were made in Central Spain. However, some pieces also come from other places historically connected to Spain, like Italy, Flanders, and South America.

Some famous sculptures you can see include:

Raising of the Cross by Francisco del Rincon
I Thirst and The Way of Calvary by Gregorio Fernández
Adoration of the Magi by Alonso Berruguete
Lamentation of Christ by Juan de Juni
Penitent Magdalene by Pedro de Mena
Holy Sepulchre or passage of the Sleepers by Alonso de Rozas

During Holy Week in Valladolid, the museum lends out 104 sculptures. These sculptures are used in special parades by religious groups called brotherhoods.

Exploring the Museum's Art Collections
- Paintings in the Collection
- Sculptures Through the Ages
More to Explore
See also

Exploring the Museum's Art Collections

The National Museum of Sculpture is home to many incredible artworks. You can see both paintings and sculptures from different time periods. Each piece tells a story about art and history.

Paintings in the Collection

Even though it's a sculpture museum, there are some interesting paintings too. These paintings help you understand the art of different eras.

Democritus and Heraclitus by Rubens, 1603
Jan Brueghel - "Tentaciones de San Antonio Abad" - Google Art Project.jpg

Temptations of San Antonio Abad by Jan Brueghel (early 17th century)
Saint Francisco and Saint Domingo in the refectory by Felipe Gil de Mena (late 17th century)

Pity by Pedro Berruguete, 1480
Joanna of Castile, likely by Jacob van Lathem, after 1500
Calvary by Antonio Moro, 1573
The Annunciation of Mary by Gregorio Martínez, 1596
Still Life by Luis Egidio Meléndez, 1765
Allegory of the Immaculate Virgin by Juan de Roelas, 1616
Presentation of the Child in the temple by Diego Valentín Díaz, 1650
St. Anthony of Padua by Thomas Willeboirts Bosschaert, after 1650

Sculptures Through the Ages

The museum's main focus is its amazing collection of sculptures. These works show how art changed over many centuries.

Medieval Sculptures (13th-15th Century)

These are some of the oldest pieces in the museum. They show art from a time long ago.

The Virgin with the child, anonymous, Castilian workshop, late 13th century.
Pity, anonymous (made in Germany), 1406-1415.
Funerary Portrait of Luis Pimentel y Pacheco, anonymous, Lion workshop, 15th century.
Altarpiece of the Virgin's life, anonymous, Antwerp workshop, after 1515.
Bust of emperor Charles, young, anonymous, Flemish workshop, after 1520.
Altarpiece of St. Jerome by Jorge Inglés.