Madrid, long live Bohemia! The underworld of literary life is the new temporary exhibition that the Museum of History of Madrid (Calle de Fuencarral, 78) opened a few days ago. In it, oil paintings, drawings, prints, posters, photographs, films, books and newspapers come out to meet the visitors to draw that night Madrid of the theaters and cafes, of the bulletins and newspapers, of the serialized novels: the Madrid of the bohemia.
The tour begins precisely with the origin of the term, linked in its beginnings to the nomadism and freedom of the gypsy people -due to their relationship with the region of Bohemia, in the Czech Republic- and, later on, to artists with a lifestyle not given to ties. From that point on, the exhibition is articulated around four axes, the first of which is clear: Paris, mecca of artists and the city where Bohemia was born.
The next two stops are El resplandor español, which places us in Madrid around 1840 -when the first generation of bohemians emerged- and La bohemia heroica. This name was given to a group of writers of the time who stood out for their social commitment and their rejection of bourgeois values. Among them was Alejandro Sawa, who would inspire Valle-Inclán to create the character of Max Estrella, the protagonist of Luces de bohemia.
To end this journey in the light of the gas lamps we find Espacios bohemios, where the “not very recommendable Madrid night” attracted not only bohemians, but also pimps and prostitutes, and La luz en el espejo, which focuses on the mythical play mentioned above by Valle-Inclán.
An exhibition with its own soundtrack
In addition to all the material that can be seen in the exhibition -sourced from more than thirty museum lenders and collections, both public and private- the curator of the exhibition, Alberto Martín Márquez, has created a playlist on Spotify specifically designed for the occasion.
Visiting hours and how to get there
The exhibition can be visited from February 27 until June 1, 2025 from Tuesday to Sunday from 10 am to 8 pm (except on May 1, when the museum will be closed). On the other hand, the options to get there by public transport are as follows:
- Bus: lines 21, 40, 147 and 149.
- Metro: Tribunal, Bilbao and Alonso Martínez.
In case you go by car, you will find a public parking in the Barceló parking.