Museo Garnelo: The Garnelo Museum of Montilla was born as a result of a convergance of wills between private collectors and public institutions, with the precise intention of placing one of the most important Spanish artists in his right place. Garnelo's bibliography is set during a fascinating historical period in Spain. He was exposed to important transformations which were to affect the new social, cultural and economic dynamics which would also constitute for us the essence of the twentieth century.

José Garnelo, branching away from the last gleams of nineteenth century art, knew how to adapt his pictorial programme to the new options offered by the avant-garde Assuming at all times a reflexive, critical disposition, which led him in the constant search of new aesthetic approaches, he never gave up everything he judged to be his strongest values. Guided by this idea the artist was never tempted by the dissolving formal structure, ratifying this constantly in the development of his works which was, for him an essential factor for the work of art.

The 51 works that this museum holds have been specially selected so that the visit constitutes a widely representative route along the different stages and many facets of the artist, in order to allow the spectator to value fairly the authentic dimension and exceptional value of the José Garnelo's works.

Drawings, watercolours and especially oil paintings have been included, paying particular attention at the same time, to a great variety of subjects; religion, where the Dolorosa should be pointed out; history, where El Pedagongo stands out; mythology, extremely well represented by its voluptuous Bacante; allegory, where we must emphasize the sensuality of the watercolour La Belleza; local traditions, including Gitanas or Capea en las Navas del Marqués. Amongst the collection of landscapes we find perhaps the most representative of his works being Olivos y cipreses en Corfú which has a superb brightness and a rich transparence. Finally mention must be made of his portraits. This was the speciality in which Garnelo was an outstanding master, to the point of being appointed Portrait artist to the Royal Family.