Louvre to Present 'Sculpting Colour' Exhibition of 17th-Century Spanish Polychrome Sculpture
The Facts
The Musée du Louvre will present 'Sculpting Colour', an exhibition of 17th-century Spanish polychrome wood sculpture, opening October 7, 2026 and running through January 25, 2027. The show is staged alongside the museum's Zurbarán exhibition in the same space with shared scenography, allowing visitors to compare painting and sculpture of the period. The centerpiece is a loaned paso—a processional float of five life-size figures by Gregorio Fernández—never before seen in France. Other works include Fernández's 'Christ of Light', Alonso Cano's 'Saint John the Baptist', and recent acquisitions by Pedro de Mena and Luisa Roldán, the latter one of the rare successful female artists of the Spanish Golden Age. The exhibition is organized with the Museo Nacional de Escultura in Valladolid.
The Signal
The exhibition signals a deepening institutional focus on the interplay between painting and sculpture in 17th-century Spain, a period when religious polychrome wood sculpture was a major art form. For collectors, the show highlights the value and materiality of these works, many of which are rarely loaned. The inclusion of Luisa Roldán—a woman who rose to the royal court—also underscores the Louvre's attention to underrepresented artists. The partnership with the Museo Nacional de Escultura strengthens cross-border cultural exchange and may spur further interest in Spanish Baroque sculpture among international audiences.
The Morning Signal · Daily
Enjoying this? Get the daily wire.
The art world in one daily email — auctions, openings, and acquisitions from 90+ primary sources, distilled into a five-minute read. Independent — no marketplace, no gallery ads.
Join collectors, dealers & curators
No spam · free every morning · unsubscribe anytime
- Artists: Gregorio Fernández, Alonso Cano, Pedro de Mena, Luisa Roldán, Juan de Mesa, José de Mora, Jerónimo Francisco García, Miguel Jerónimo García, José de Arce, Pedro Roldán, Francisco de Zurbarán
- People: Valérie Carpentier-Vanhaverbeke, Alejandro Nuevo Gómez
- Museums: Musée du Louvre, Museo Nacional de Escultura
- Locations: Paris, Valladolid
The Morning Signal · Daily
Get stories like this in your inbox
The art world in one daily email — auctions, openings, and acquisitions from 90+ primary sources, distilled into a five-minute read. Independent — no marketplace, no gallery ads.
Join collectors, dealers & curators
No spam · free every morning · unsubscribe anytime
The Jobs Digest · Weekly
New art-world jobs, every Monday
The Jobs Digest rounds up the week’s new museum, gallery, and auction-house openings — with salary when disclosed. One email a week, unsubscribe anytime.
