  Warrier from the Cerrillo Blanco (head) First half of the 5th century B.C. Museo Provincial, Jaén Photo: Peter Oszvald, Bonn  Torso of a warrior with breast plate from La Alcudia 4th century BC Colleción Ramos - Museo Monográfico de La Alcudia de Elche  Lion 500 / 430 B.C. Private ownership, Varez Fisa  Dancing Silenus 500/450 B.C. Museo Arqueológico Nacional, Madrid  y Thymiaterion from La Quéjola End of the 6th century B.C. Museo Provincial, Albacete |
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The Iberians 15 May - 23 August 1998     Paris, Galeries nationales du Grand Palais 15 October 1997 - 5 January 1998 Barcelona, Centre Cultural de la Fundació "la Caixa" 30 January - 12 April 1998     Please use QuickTime for Windows 3.0, QuickTime VR components version 2.1 or later MoviePlayer version 3.0 or later Download: www.apple.com
More than 350 outstanding exhibits from over 30 Spanish and French museums, assembled here for the first time, give an insight into the little-known culture of the Iberians. Research into this sector did not begin until the first finds were made in the late 19th century. Significant archaeological discoveries in recent decades, such as the sculptures from Porcuna (5th century B.C.) unearthed in 1975, have contributed greatly to our knowledge of the Iberian people. The sculptures, which have been restored with funds from the Kunst- und Ausstellungshalle, are a central feature of the exhibition. Stone sculptures, painted ceramics and exquisite jewellery, coins, bronze statuettes and goldcraft offer a unique view of the mysterious culture of the people who inhabited the Iberian peninsula between Andalusia and Languedoc from the 6th to the 1st century B.C. and who maintained both cultural and economic relations with the other advanced cultures in the Mediterranean Region: the Phoenicians, Greeks and Celts. Out of this fruitful exchange grew a civilisation with quite independent social structures. Following the Roman landing on the coast of Ampurias in the year 217 B.C., the Iberian peninsula experienced a long period of unrest. Nevertheless, the Iberian culture - now marked by Roman influences - continued to produce high-quality works of art. Due to fierce resistance from the Iberians, it was only after 200 years of fighting that the Romans finally completed their conquest of the peninsula under Emperor Augustus. The Iberians must be regarded as one of the great cultures of classical antiquity, not least because of the originality of their art and their technical skills. The exhibition is divided into several sections providing different perspectives of the three major periods of Iberian culture: Early Iberian (6th - end of 5th century B.C.), Middle Iberian (end of 5th - approx. 3rd century B.C.) and Late Iberian (end of 3rd - 1st century B.C.). The eight monumental stone statues from Cerro de los Santos (Porcuna) are on display for the first time outside Spain. They are a unique and particularly impressive reminder of the fusion of Graeco-Oriental and Iberian stylistic elements and highlight the importance of warriors within Iberian society. Works of art from Elche and reliefs from Osuna, which archaeologists rank among the main works of Iberian culture, round off the picture. Together with the ceramics from Lliria, Alcoy, La Alcudia and El Cigarralejo, the gold jewellery from Mairena, the silverware from Tivissa as well as the coins and bronze votive tablets from Despeñaperros and Murcia provide a unique insight into this great culture. France, Spain and Germany have collaborated in organising this first major exhibition on the culture of the Iberians. The concept was developed jointly by the "Association Française d'Action Artistique" (French Foreign Ministry) in Paris, the Spanish Ministry for Education and Culture in Madrid, the foundation "la Caixa" in Barcelona and the Kunst- und Ausstellungshalle der Bundesrepublik Deutschland in Bonn. The exhibition was a great success in Paris (Galeries Nationales du Grand Palais) and Barcelona (Centre Cultural de la Fundaçion "la Caixa") before transferring to Bonn.  more information
email: Susanne Kleine |
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