We reveal all the secrets of the oldest museum in the Basque Country
We reveal all the secrets of the oldest museum in the Basque Country
The San Telmo Museum of San Sebastián, inaugurated in 1902, is the oldest museum in the Basque Country, and it is the largest center dedicated to the interpretation of Basque Society; it is the place to learn about Basque history, culture, and ways of life through its valuable heritage and a wealth of audiovisual and interactive resources. The museum aims to reflect upon the notion of the cultural and historical past as the seed of today’s society from a multidisciplinary perspective – open to dialog and contemporary debate; a space for the dissemination of knowledge and for the creation of thought.
The museum is located in the heart of the Old Quarter, in one of the few buildings that survived the fire of 1813. Its headquarters is a sixteenth-century Dominican convent that was restored in 2011 by the Nieto Sobejano Arquitectos architectural firm and expanded with daring contemporary flair. Thanks to this remodel, the institution was reborn by harmoniously combining the older aspects –where the church and cloister are noteworthy– with the new construction to culminate in a reflection of what the museum claims to be: an instrument to understand the present and build the future based on knowledge of the past.
Permanent Exhibition
The main theme of the museum’s permanent exhibition is the evolution of the individual in society, presenting the milestones, behaviors, and ways of thinking and living which, over time, have helped to shape Basque society, offering keys to its contemporary interpretation and delving deeper into it from its origins until today. ‘Historia del sitio’ (‘History of the Site’), ‘Los desafíos de nuestra sociedad’ (‘The Challenges of Our Society’), ‘Huellas en la memoria’ (‘Milestones throughout Memory’), ‘Despertar de la modernidad’ (‘Awakening of Modernity’), and the ‘Colección histórica de arte’ (‘Historical Art Collection’) are the different sections that make up the exhibition.
To get to know the ‘History of the Site,’ we visit the church to witness the historical evolution of the building which houses the museum and where the different stages through which it has passed are spoken of, as well as the players who influenced its development and the milestones that marked its history. All of this is illustrated through an audiovisual entitled, ‘De convento a museo’ (‘From Convent to Museum’).
The church is also the space in which the visitor discovers ‘The Challenges of Our Society.’ The presentation of these themes through audiovisuals and current technologies aims to emphasize the capacity of the individual to act upon the world that surrounds him or her and thus participate in the construction of his or her future. An interactive table encourages debate and acts as a source of reflection on contemporary issues like peace and human rights, sustainable development, an increasing sense of interculturality, the role of Europe in the world, and gender equality.
Encounters with other cultures, adaptation to the environment, borders… challenges that seem to be so current were also part of the daily lives of those who preceded us. In the ‘Milestones throughout Memory’ space, a reflection is offered on the moments and milestones that have been key in the Basque Country’s materialization and development from prehistory to the eighteenth century, and which have left a mark on the region’s evolution. Traditions, key players, myths, episodes, events; in short, some of the most important pieces that make up this great puzzle which is the universe of Basque society.
The ‘Awakening of Modernity’ area presents the great transformations that occurred in the region during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, a time when the main keys to understanding how today’s society is shaped can be found. During this period there was a transition from a rural way of living to an industrialized one. In this section, the organization of society, family, and work is analyzed, as well as the economic activities, daily life, ideologies, and claims.
The ‘Historical Art Collection’ takes us on a chronological journey between the fifteenth and nineteenth centuries. In this way, we not only delve into the history of art by prominent figures such as El Greco, Tintoretto, Ribera, Rubens, Beruete, Fortuny, Madrazo, and Miró, but we are also able to understand the evolution of the artistic styles over time.
Noteworthy Pieces
The Sert canvases are one of the museum’s most precious treasures, and for that reason they deserve special mention: in 1929, when the church was restored –and when they began to think about how to adapt the convent to the new use that it was going to have as a museum– it was agreed, following the advice of painter Ignacio Zuloaga, that the walls should be covered with paintings in which important events for the Basque people would be reflected. This task was entrusted to painter Josep María Sert (Barcelona, 1874 – 1945), who made 17 panels –11 canvases– and sprawled them over an area of 784 m2. The eleven scenes –done using the velatura technique; that is, a type of colored varnish atop a metallic background– represent themes from Gipuzkoan life and history: ‘Pueblo de leyendas’ (‘A People of Legends’), a scene that refers to the Akelarre, a rite with a remote origin, a sign of the most ancient beliefs of the Basque; ‘Pueblo de sabios’ (‘A People of the Wise’), the “Knights of Azkoitia”, who formed the Basque Society of Friends of the Country and received a visit from a wise chemist from abroad; ‘Pueblo de libertad’ (‘A People of Freedom’), a canvas dedicated to the Tree of Gernika, a symbol of the freedoms of Vasconia, with a large book under it which symbolizes the Rights of Biscay; ‘Pueblo de armadores’ (‘A People of Ship Owners’), Sert represents the construction of ships at the Pasaia shipyards with a long line of vessels (the Invincible Armada); ‘Pueblo de Fueros’ (‘A People of Rights’), Alfonso VIII, King of Castilla, swears the rights of Gipuzkoa; ‘El altar de la raza’ (‘The Altar of Race’), in the midst of a stormy sea, a stone block rises up like a watchtower; on the block, clinging to a tree, is San Telmo –the patron saint of seamen– who, staff in hand, is saving a boat that is just about to be engulfed by the sea; ‘Pueblo de pescadores’ (‘A People of Fishermen’), in a port in Gipuzkoa, a large number of fisherman are straining to haul a whale up a ramp; ‘Pueblo de navegantes’ (‘A People of Navigators’), This canvas represents the saga of Juan Sebastián Elkano, a Basque sailor who sailed around the world for the first time; ‘Pueblo de comerciantes’ (‘A People of Merchants’), a canvas dedicated to the Royal Company of Gipuzkoa of Caracas, an organization that gave the Province an uncommon economic boost in the eighteenth Century; ‘Pueblo de santos’ (‘A People of Saints), Ignacio de Loiola writes the Constitutions of the Company of Jesus, dictated by Christ who, with one hand un-nailed, gives him advice from the cross; and ‘Pueblo de ferrones’ (‘A People of Blacksmiths’), in which a group of blacksmiths forge a monumental anchor that evokes the days when the Gilisasti foundry made anchors for the English navy.
Sert’s canvases may be the jewel in San Telmo’s crown, but they are not its only treasure. The vast inventory of pieces collected, the excellent approach to their permanent exhibition, and –above all– the numerous activities and temporary exhibitions organized throughout the year all make this one of the essential museums in the Basque Country; an unequivocal guide for understanding our society and getting to know ourselves.
San Telmo Museoa
Plaza Zuloaga 1, San Sebastián.
Tel.: +34 943 481 580
