A groundbreaking exhibition at the University of Texas at Austin is challenging traditional perceptions of the Spanish Golden Age by showcasing how this influential artistic movement extended far beyond European borders. "Spirit & Splendor: El Greco, Velázquez, and the Hispanic Baroque," currently on display at the Blanton Museum of Art, presents 57 masterworks that demonstrate the global reach of Spanish artistic influence from the late 1400s to the late 1600s.

The exhibition, which runs through February 1, 2026, features an impressive collection of works from the Hispanic Society Museum & Library in New York, an institution founded in 1904 by Archer M. Huntington. While this traveling exhibition has previously been shown in Boca Raton, Florida, and Milwaukee, the Texas presentation has taken on a unique dimension by incorporating works from New Spain and the Viceroyalty of Peru alongside European masterpieces by renowned artists such as Velázquez, El Greco, Zurbarán, and Murillo.

The curatorial team at the Blanton has deliberately sought to present these works as equals rather than treating American colonial art as a mere appendage to European traditions. Holly Borham, curator of prints, drawings, and European art at the Blanton, explains that the exhibition was designed "not only as a tribute to the Spanish monarchy, but as a space for dialogue between two shores." Her colleague Rosario I. Granados, a specialist in the art of the Americas, emphasizes that many featured painters were born in Seville, traveled to Mexico, and developed their own distinctive styles there.

Visitors to the exhibition can experience this cross-cultural dialogue through carefully curated comparisons and juxtapositions. The galleries showcase El Greco's immediately recognizable Pietà alongside a portrait of Saint Michael by Luis Juárez, a Sevillian painter who was active in what is now Mexico during the same century. These works demonstrate not only geographical differences but also variations in materials and artistic purposes, with European oil paintings contrasting with the more resourceful use of copper plates in American viceroyalties.

The exhibition expands traditional definitions of the period by including works by Luisa Roldán, known as "La Roldana," who was the first documented woman sculptor in Spain. Additionally, an engraving derived from a Michelangelo drawing illuminates El Greco's Italian connections, while comprehensive chronologies, artist family trees, and maps help visitors understand the circulation of ideas, families, and artistic styles in what was already a remarkably global world by the 17th century.

One of the most fascinating aspects of the exhibition is its exploration of how identical religious imagery served different purposes across continents. Visitors can compare two versions of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception: a monumental version created by a court painter in Madrid and a smaller, more intimate piece intended for religious education in the New World. While the images are identical, their contexts and functions were radically different.

The Texas connection is particularly evident in the inclusion of works by José de Páez, a New Spain painter known for depicting the San Sabá mission, which was built in the 18th century just two hours from Austin. The exhibition's timeline also incorporates the founding of the first Spanish missions in what is now Texas, serving as a reminder that Spanish heritage in the region extends far beyond language to encompass historical and artistic legacies.

As a university museum, the Blanton has conceived this exhibition as both an artistic showcase and an educational tool. Bilingual texts appeal to students of Spanish literature as well as young people from the city's language immersion programs. The institution aims to generate meaningful conversations about terms like "Baroque," which are sometimes used imprecisely in academic and popular discourse.

The exhibition's impact extends beyond the museum walls through an extensive public programming series. Upcoming events include talks by specialists such as historian Amanda Wunder, who will address Golden Age Seville fashion from a social perspective, and Lima scholar José Luis Lazarte, who will discuss enconchado painting techniques. These programs are designed to balance perspectives from the Spanish court to colonial workshops, providing a comprehensive view of this transatlantic artistic movement.

The result is a compelling mosaic that reveals the Spanish Golden Age as a truly global phenomenon. Works such as the "Funeral of Queen Maria Luisa of Orleans" by Sebastián Muñoz and pieces by Bernabé de Ochoa demonstrate the sophistication and range of artistic production during this period. The exhibition succeeds in reclaiming the transatlantic Golden Age from an unexpected but historically appropriate Texas setting, where Spanish colonial influence remains deeply embedded in the cultural landscape.