Ignacio Galán and Manuel Marín Visit the Works for the Restoration of the Tapestries of the Royal College of the Patriarch

-Fundación IBERDROLA sponsors the work undertaken by the Royal Tapestry Factory in Madrid
-These priceless pieces date from the early 16th century, the period when the production of Flemish tapestries reached its greatest splendour

The Chairman of IBERDROLA, Ignacio Galán, and the Chairman of Fundación IBERDROLA, Manuel Marín, have today visited the Royal Tapestry Factory in Madrid to view the restoration works on the series of six tapestries from the Royal College of the Patriarch in Valencia.

After a meeting with the Board of Trustees of the Fundación IBERDROLA held at the site of the Royal Tapestry Factory in Madrid, the trustees toured the facilities to see the stages of washing and cleaning. These are the preliminary tasks in the restoration process, which the Flemish tapestries will undergo for the first time.

This project is the result of the agreement signed by the Foundation and the Royal College of the Patriarch for the restoration, cleaning and consolidation of the set of six 16th-century Flemish tapestries from three different series, donated by the founder of the College, Juan de Ribera.

Fundación IBERDROLA will fund the entire project and has commissioned the Royal Tapestry Factory to take charge of the technical management and execution of the restoration work. The College of Corpus Christi is processing the necessary authorisations for the work which, in view of the worn condition of the tapestries, is expected to continue over a considerable period of time.

This agreement also includes an undertaking by the College of the Patriarch to supervise the correct conservation of the tapestries once they are on display to the public by installing an illumination system and the most appropriate security measures.

The Patriarch’s tapestries belong to a golden age in the history of tapestry making. They date from 1500 to 1530, the period when Flemish tapestry achieved its maximum splendour. The oldest ones depict The Parable of the Vine. The two that portray The Honours date from 1528 and belong to the same series of Moralities owned by the Spanish National Heritage. The other two tapestries in the series are on the theme of Vices and Virtues, and were also produced in the Flemish workshops.

The tapestry collection in the College of Corpus Christi is of incalculable historical value, and is still unknown to most inhabitants of Valencia, hence the significance of the restoration work sponsored by Fundación IBERDROLA.

About Fundación IBERDROLA

With Ignacio Galán as founding trustee and Manuel Marín as chairman, Fundación IBERDROLA focuses its activity on four major areas: training and research, energy sustainability and biodiversity, cooperation and solidarity, and cultural development.

In addition to its Social Aid Programme, the Foundation carries out other initiatives aimed at improving the quality of life of people in the regions where the IBERDROLA Group operates. Highlights in the training and research area include the Master’s Scholarships and Aid for Research in Energy and the Environment; initiatives in the Support for Biodiversity area include the Bird Migration Programme (www.migraciondeaves.org); and, lastly, it is involved in major projects in the area of historical-artistic heritage such as the Atlantic Romanesque Restoration Plan (www.romanicoatlantico.org) and the Illumination Programme for outstanding buildings.



For more information about Fundación IBERDROLA, visit the web page www.fundacioniberdrola.org