Patrimonio Nacional revitalises and expands the tour of the Upper Chambers of the Royal Alcázar of Seville with 18 new works of art.

Patrimonio Nacional is renewing and improving the museography of the Upper Chambers of the Royal Alcázar of Seville. From Monday the 21st of November, the institution is closing part of this iconic area of the Royal Alcázar in order to include 18 new works, extend the tour and boost conditions related to conservation. The reopening is scheduled for the long weekend of the Constitution bank holiday. This Friday the 18th November, Patrimonio Nacional submitted the proposal to the Advisory Council of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Alcázar of Seville for its study and assessment.

This reorganisation adds 16 new works from Patrimonio Nacional to the public visit: 7 that are currently in the Royal Palace in Madrid and 9 which are already in the Royal Alcázar but were not on public display. Two Baroque sculptures provided by the Museum of Fine Arts of Seville, which were not on display, have also been added.

This new museography restores some of the paintings that were in the historical collections of the Royal Chamber in the 19th century. The connection to Isabella II is reinforced and the presence of Sevillian masters in the exhibition increased with José Gutiérrez de la Vega ("Portrait of Isabella II as a Child" and "Saint Justa and Saint Rufina") and Juan de Roelas ("The Virgin and Child").

Other painters who have been added to the tour are Federico de Madrazo (“The Three Marys at the Tomb” and “Portrait of Marie Isabelle of Orléans”), Luis Tristán (“Saint Francis, penitent”), Vicente López (“The Coronation of the Virgin”) and Miguel Parra (“Flower Vase”).

More and better-maintained halls to visit

Visitors will also have a better experience, thanks to the addition of two new halls. These are the halls adjacent to the Chapterhouse, deemed to be of great historical and artistic interest. The audio guides available to the public will provide information on the new works on display and the extension of the tour,

The planned improvements include the removal of deteriorated wall coverings and the restoration of the walls, as well as laying new carpets and rugs. The walls of spaces such as the Family Dining Hall will also be repaired and the lighting in rooms with pastel artworks will be redone in order to conserve the works.

the Gallery promotes refurbishments at the Royal Sites

The reorganisation of the Upper Chamber is in response to the encouragement to refurbish Royal Sites prior to the opening of the Royal Collections Gallery in the summer of 2023. The institution thus includes Seville within the dynamising and modernising framework of tourism represented by the Gallery, since it is conceived of as a showcase to encourage visitors to visit the related palaces, monasteries and natural surroundings.

The Gallery's inaugural exhibition will feature 650 objects. These include two works by Vicente López, which had been displayed until now in the family dining hall in the Upper Chamber of the Royal Alcázar of Seville. A new painting by the same artist, entitled "The Coronation of the Virgin", will be included in the public tour of the Upper Chamber.