El XIV duque de Alba coleccionista y mecenas de arte antiguo y moderno

The impulse that motivated Don Carlos Miguel Fitz-James Stuart y Silva, 7th Duke of Berwick and 14th Duke of Alba (1794-1835) to collect art was not only his refined aesthetic sensibility, but also the practical goal of organising a public gallery in Madrid for Spanish artists wishing to engage in the study of the arts. As an enlightenment intellectual he demonstrated a modernity of thought in seeking to guide Spain towards cultural and socio-political renewal, following the current running throughout Europe at the time. As was the custom among the aristocratic classes of his time, he went on a grand tour of Italy and other countries, where he purchased some of the artworks in his collections. These collections include classical sculpture, antique ceramics, decorative objects, paintings of the Italian Renaissance, and modern sculptures commissioned by the Spanish artists José Álvarez Cubero and Antonio Solà.