Expasion of collections

The expansion of the Cerralbo Museum collections is conditional on respect for the unique nature of this institution, a museum-house which preserves and exhibits to the public the collections donated to the State in 1922 by the Museum’s founder, the Marquis of Cerralbo, and in 1927 by his step-daughter, the Marquess of Villa-Huerta.Salto de línea Salto de línea The Marquis of Cerralbo’s legacy is a private collection, part of which is permanently exhibited in the Main Portico, the Main Staircase and the Museum’s Main Floor, sections of the Museum in which it is not permitted to add objects that may detract from the design created in the final decade of the 19th century by the Marquis of Cerralbo himself to exhibit his collections in the areas that made up his “Artistic and Archaeological Galleries”.Salto de línea Salto de línea The legacy of the Marquess of Villa-Huerta comprises the collections exhibited on the Mezzanine Floor of the Cerralbo Museum. The scarcity of documentary information on this section prevents its original settings from being permanently restored. Their re-creation has periodically included works of art or objects preferably related to the Marquises of Cerralbo and Villa-Huerta.Salto de línea Salto de línea Part of the legacy of the Marquess of Villa-Huerta is made up of the Marquis of Cerralbo’s personal archive and that of the Villa-Huerta house. These archives include textual records and a large number of photographs. This repository forms the Museum’s Historical Archive and may be expanded through the acquisition of documents related to those preserved, with the aim of completing the study of the historical figure of the Marquis of Cerralbo, his Carlist activism and his dedication to collecting and archaeology, as well as the history of this museum-house.Salto de línea Salto de línea In conclusion, the expansion of the collections is preferably governed by the acquisition of cultural assets related to the founder, his family, his works and his intellectual activities.Salto de línea Salto de línea Selection criteria

• Historical relevance for documenting the life and activities of the Cerralbo-Villa-Huerta family.
• Artistic or functional relevance for completing the settings of the Museum’s mezzanine floor.
• Related documents that can assist with cataloguing purchased objects and with contextualising them in the Museum’s collections.
• ppropriate conservation status.

Preferred forms of acquisition

Acquisitions should preferably be made through donations or legacies and occasionally by purchasing. The letter of offer, accompanied by images, must be sent to the Cerralbo Museum Management by post or e-mail, or by direct delivery by prior appointment. Once the objects have been examined, where appropriate Management will propose acceptance of the donation, legacy or purchase to the Ministry of Culture and produce a report on the interest of the acquisition. Taking into account the Museum’s report, and advised by the Sub-directorates of Historical Heritage and National Museums, the General Directorate of Fine Arts will decide in favour of against the acquisition, which will be managed by the Ministry itself.

The Museum does not accept

• Conditional donations with regard to the exhibition, preservation, investigation or diffusion of the donated object.
• Temporary deposits of cultural assets belonging to private individuals, apart from in exceptional cases, for example the depositing of a cultural asset prior to formalising its acquisition.

Latest donations

The Cerralbo Museum collection has recently been enriched by the addition of the portrait of one of the Marquis of Cerralbo’s sisters, Matilde de Aguilera y Gamboa, Madame Fontagud, painted by Federico de Madrazo. This portrait has been donated by Jaime Parladé, Marquis of Apezteguía.