The National Library in Madrid, Spain’s oldest cultural institution, is celebrating its 300th birthday with a stunning exhibition showcasing its greatest treasures. Not only full of antique books and medieval codices, the National Library is home to drawings, engravings and even paintings from great painters, houses a collection of atlases dating back the renaissance and not to mention musical scores and a stunning collection of letters and original works by Spanish writers and poets.

This exhibition aims to make its treasures available to the public, and not only to the scholars. Ordinarily, entrance to the library as an average reader can be akin to entering Fort Knox. Even with a researcher’s card with archive access, one would feel like a shoplifting child in a sweet shop to take a peek at a medieval codex just out of general interest without any academic incentive. Now you can get up close to these items and examine them without the tiresome security procedures.

The lay out is accessible, and you don’t need to be a bibliophile to enjoy it. Covering not only the chronological history of the library—about its donations and acquisitions—it also looks at the valuable work made by the library in its conservations and cataloguing, making it not only a valid and old cultural institution, but one which has embraced modernisation in at all stages.

The exhibition is split into three parts, firstly the largest category covering the library’s history; here we can see a showcase of the best the National Library has to offer. We are then presented to an interesting display of technological development in the library’s history, and finally we remember the writers through the personal archives of authors, playwrights and composers.  

A Celestial Globe dating back to the 18th century pulls you into the exhibition—painted with a dark indigo background and gold for the figures and stars, it’s hard to focus on the codices around you. But looking around, you’re not sure where to start. To the left are a line of medieval codices with striking colourful miniatures, and to the right, you have Leonardo Da Vinci’s notebooks.

Leonardo da Vinci, Códices

More than 6000 books came to Spain via the French king, Philip V, who not only brought the famous Da Vinci notebooks, but various books and codices from as far back as medieval times. “In primam et secundam partem ifortiati comentaria” by Bartolo de Sassoferrato, dates back to the 14th century, and the second volume of this work is a fantastic example of the medieval judiciary system, where brilliant miniatures by Bolognese artist, Niccolo di Giacomo, accompany the text.

The aforementioned notebooks by Leonardo Da Vinci are undoubtedly one of the highlights of the collection. These two notebooks titled “Codices Madrid I & II” date back to the 15th and 16th centuries, are signed by Leonardo Da Vinci, and offer an insight into the artist’s genius. The precision of his annotations and drawings on the topics of mechanics in one codex, to the topic of bronze casting in the other, they not only harmonise Da Vinci’s scientific and artistic genius, but offer a personal insight into his creative process through these works in progress. The annotations are disorganised at times, sometimes even showing signs of being rubbed out, and we also get a glimpse at Da Vinci’s reverse handwriting.

Beato de Liébana, Commentarius in Apocalypsin. Codex of Ferdinand I and Dña. Sanchas. XI, ca. 1047

Across the hall, among the collections of medieval codices, the most notable example is Beato de Liébana’s “Commentarius in Apocalypsin.” This codex dates back to 1047, to the era of King Ferdinand I and his wife, Doña Sancha, of León. It begins with a genealogical account of Jesus Christ through to the “Commentary of St. Jerome,” from the book of Daniel. The most curious folio in this codex is a poorly conserved sheet, devoid of any striking miniatures, containing only a simple inscription in Latin. It offers information, not only into the influence of King Ferdinand and Doña Sancha on patronage, but it also presents the date of the codex’s completion, expressed in Cabbalistic terms as 1047, and it also names the codex’s copyist, Facundo. Originally from the library of the Marques de Mondéjar, Philip V requisitioned it in the 17th century during the War of Spanish Succession.  

Showcasing more than just books, the National Library has displayed a selection of antiquities from the Archaeological Museum’s (located in the same building as the library) inventory, such as an Astrolabe from the 16th century, and a collection of antique medallions and coins. Amidst this display, a small bronze Egyptian statue dating back to 4-3rd century B.C of the goddess Mehet-uret is also found.

One of the main highlights found in this exhibition, are the collections of drawings, engravings and antique atlases. While the library houses over 28 million documents, over 860,000 are of various mediums including maps, drawings, audio, video and minor publications. The tricentennial exhibition displays the most important works, from artists such as Goya, Velázquez and Rembrandt.

Diego Velázquez, Head of a young girl ca. 1618-1620		Diego Velázquez, Head of a girl ca. 1620-1622

Two sketches by Diego Velázquez opens this section, both conducted in pencil, these portraits appear to be the same girl of varying ages, but some critics believe the models to be sisters. The first painting, “Head of a young girl” shows a younger model than in “Head of a girl,” and sketched in a Flemish style, one can see great precision in their features. These are among four drawings by the Seville born artist conserved at the National Library.

Francisco de Goya, Landscape with rock, buildings and trees, after 1812

Among the displayed sketches are some notable Goyas. “Don’t Neglect the Donkey,” is an ink drawing on paper, and comprises one of the 50 sketches from the album titled, “Album of Black Borders,” or “Album E”.   Nearby is the “Landscape with rock, buildings and trees,” also by Francisco de Goya. This engraving, conserved by the National Library, is a rare piece in Goya’s catalogue. Made between 1800-1808, it demonstrates the concept of sublime nature in a romantic manner, where we can see how Goya established the strong contraposition between the large rocky outcrop and the group of people below. Nature here is formidable, with not just the gigantic rock face, but also the wind blown tree. Just below there is an engraving that forms part of four lithographs covering the theme of bullfights, “Match Square.”  What makes this engraving interesting is that it was constructed in a manner superior to lithography previously seen in Spain.

Other artistic highlights include Joan Miró’s “Els Castellers,” Albrecht Dürer’s “Adam and Eve” and Rembrant’s “The Death of the Virgin.” These sketches and engravings may not be on par with the paintings found by these artists down the road in the big galleries, but they do hold significant importance for art history and academic study.

Christian Sgrooten, "Orbis terrestris tam Geographia Quam Chrographia Descriptio..." 1592
38 maps, manuscript on illuminated paper 83 × 68 cm

The National Library houses an excellent collection of antique maps and atlases. Some of these date as far back as the Renaissance, such as the 16th century “Orbis Terrestris tam Geographia Quam Chrographia Descriptio” by Christian Sgrooten, one of the major works by the German cartographer. This large map of the world was commissioned by King Philip II and consists of 38 full sized maps. Illustrated with vivid colours, where the details are given in gold, green and ochre tones representing land, and blue for the seas and rivers, this work is undoubtedly one of cartography’s great gems.

Ending part one is a selection of photographs. While some are glamorous photos of actresses, these are set side by side with powerful images from the Spanish Civil War. The National Library owns over 70,000 photographs on the topic of the civil war, and a handful of the best are on display. These arrived in the library during the 1980s, and reveal shocking and harrowing images of Spain’s dark past.   

The process of the library’s conservation and evolution are shown in the transitional phase of the exhibition. Here one can see examples of old computers and antique archival devices.

Federico García Lorca, Crucifixion18 October, New York, 1929

The final part treats the library’s connection with writers. Here personal manuscripts and drafts can be found from authors, poets, composers and playwrights. Photos and scores from the Zarzuela, a Spanish style of operetta, composer, Frederico Chueca, are included in the display. The Andalucian poet, Frederico García Lorca’s draft of the poem, “The Crucifixion,” and a series of letters from the Hotel St. Regis in New York by Surrealist artist, Salvador Dalí are found displayed side by side. Pablo Neruda’s “Paloma por dentro o sea la mano de vidrio,” complete with illustrations by fellow poet, García Lorca is also a curious document found here in the collection. And finally, the 400-year-old manuscript of comedies by playwright, Lope de Vega are displayed alongside the copy of “The Journey of Columbus,” by Andrés Bernaldéz, a chaplain to the archbishop of Seville and friend to Christopher Columbus. This copy, put together by Bartolomé de las Casas in 1552, is a rare literary and historical treasure in the library’s collection.

The exhibition ends on a light tone, with lithographs and cards from the turn of the 20th century. Most of these were advertisements, but over time they’ve gained artistic and vintage appeal. Even the propaganda posters that end in this room remind us of a different era.

Not only for bibliophiles, this exhibition at the National Library is a carefully curated display of art, antiques and books aimed to appeal to everyone. You don’t have to be an academic or an intellectual to enjoy the exhibition—if you love books, art and history, then join in the celebrations of this three hundred year old institution.