The exhibition presented by the Círculo de Bellas Artes comprises a carefully curated selection of original plans, preparatory drawings, period photographs, and previously unseen pieces that precisely illustrate the building's construction process, beginning with the 1919 competition to erect the Círculo's new headquarters. The material presented reflects the aesthetic and cultural aspirations that guided the construction of such a technically complex project.
The exhibition highlights and illuminates some of the building's essential aspects: its innovative spatial and structural solutions, the monumentality of its volumes, and the careful integration of ornamental elements that define its urban identity. The exhibition allows visitors to appreciate how Palacios combined classical architectural languages with the new metropolitan trends of the early 20th century and the impact his intervention had on consolidating the Gran Vía as the city's modern axis.
"The House of Arts. Open since 1926." Exhibition at the Círculo de Bellas Artes. Photograph by Miguel Balbuena.
A Controversial Start
"In the overall layout of the building, entrants must take into account the eminently artistic and modern character that the building intended as the social headquarters of the Círculo de Bellas Artes (Circle of Fine Arts) must possess."
When the Círculo de Bellas Artes launched the competition to build its new headquarters in 1919, the vision was already for an ambitious and monumental building, with an urban, cosmopolitan, and metropolitan vocation. Of the fifteen proposals submitted by some of the most important architects of the time, three were selected as finalists (Zuazo and Quintanilla, Hernández Briz and Saíz Martínez, and the Fernández Balbuena brothers). Palacios's project was initially disqualified for exceeding the maximum building height stipulated in the competition rules (unjustifiably, other projects that exceeded this height were not disqualified).
Antonio Palacios. Perspective view. Reproduction from the graphic record of the "Project of the Social House of Fine Arts", 1923. Archive of the Círculo de Bellas Artes.
The three selected preliminary designs were exhibited for a month and a half at the Retiro Exhibition Palace, where they could be viewed by the public, architecture and fine arts enthusiasts, and the members of the Circle. However, the competition was declared void because none of the designs obtained the necessary majority.
Finally, like the Phoenix, Palacios's proposal rose from the ashes, as it was decided to submit the selection to the members' verdict, who evaluated all the rejected preliminary designs that sought a second chance. His project, unjustly withdrawn by his colleagues on the jury, was overwhelmingly voted for by the members, and it was in May 1920 that, amidst great controversy, Antonio Palacios took charge of the project.
Construction work on the Círculo de Bellas Artes. 1925. Image taken from the book by José Luís Temes. El Círculo de Bellas Artes. Madrid. 1980-1936. Courtesy of the Círculo de Bellas Artes.
Postcard images from the Círculo de Bellas Artes. Hauser and Menet phototype. Collection of original vintage postcards c. 1927. Archive of the Círculo de Bellas Artes.
The construction of the Círculo
Antonio Palacios sought to express a renewed and symbolic language through the building: the architect's spirit and intentions are summarized in the pursuit of architectural and ornamental grandeur that evokes the artistic, cultural, and recreational function of the institution. The exhibition presents exceptional material that allows visitors to explore the construction process, showcasing both technical and installation plans, as well as corrections or details of parts of the building that required clarification or changes along the way.
The Círculo de Bellas Artes represents the culmination of a series of buildings with which Palacios decisively contributed to modernizing the city and transforming it into the long-awaited metropolis that many dreamed of.
Otto Wunderlich. View of the Círculo de Bellas Artes building, c. 1929. Spanish Cultural Heritage Institute, Ministry of Culture. Courtesy of the Círculo de Bellas Artes.
1926: The inauguration of the Casa de las Artes
With the presence of King Alfonso XIII and other authorities, the new building was inaugurated on November 8, 1926, with an exhibition by Ignacio Zuloaga. Despite initial criticism, from its very beginning, the exhibitions, gatherings, concerts, painting and drawing classes, literary events, and parties transformed the Círculo de Bellas Artes into a cosmopolitan, metropolitan space, deeply engaged with modern life and its challenges.
For over a century, its salons, exhibition halls, studios, workshops, and meeting spaces have witnessed the work of multiple generations of artists, writers, filmmakers, thinkers, and diverse audiences, making it a privileged venue for cultural creation and experience.
