This impressive gallery hosts excellent temporary exhibitions and owns a small but impressive collection of 20th-century Spanish art. The most reliably permanent exhibition is the Julio González collection. This Catalan sculptor (1876–1942) lived in Paris and produced exquisite work in iron that influenced later artists such as David Smith and Eduardo Chillida.
The González collection was a major reason for the gallery's creation and there are some great pieces here – the series of sensitive iron Masques is exquisite – and they are beautifully lit and displayed. Contrasting with some classical nudes and busts, his offbeat iron forms are very much of his time and are sometimes reminiscent of paintings by Picasso (with whom González collaborated). González' pieces prefigure, on a modest scale, more monumental works later in the 20th century.
