The MUN discovers for the first time all the work of Charles Clifford, the British photographer who showed monumental Spain to the world.

The MUN pays tribute to British photographer Charles Clifford (1819-1863), a key figure in understanding the image of Spain in the mid-19th century: he was a pioneer in using photography as a medium for the international projection of our country. This afternoon at 7 p.m. there will be a masterclass at the MUN Theater with the curators of the exhibition, Javier Piñar and Carlos Sánchez, with free access by collecting an invitation at the box office or on the website. It will be followed by the opening of the galleries to the public. 

The exhibition is entitled Charles Clifford and the Monumental Record of Spain and can be visited until February 8. It occupies four rooms of the Museum, which total about two thousand linear meters of exhibition space and show the viewer about 300 pieces on the wall and about 200 in audiovisual projection. "It is enough to see Clifford's work to know that we are in front of the best photographer of 19th century Spain," says Piñar.

The British photographer belongs to the generation of the first professional photographers who used the calotype as a tool for research and the projection of new themes and forms of expression. His work focuses on the monumental heritage of our country, made between 1852 and 1862, as can be seen in his Álbum Monumental de España, a project that is the protagonist of this exhibition: with the Torre del Oro in Seville, the cathedral of Burgos, the aqueduct of Segovia, the Prado Museum in Madrid, the Palacio de los Virreyes (Barcelona) or the Patio la Infanta (Zaragoza), among others. His was a "chaotic, unplanned work, where artistic creation coexisted with the need to make a living from his profession and attend to commissions from royalty and nobility," Piñar explains, "which is why the cities are mixed in the tour.

But the visitor will not only find a historical testimony of Spain, but also a journey through the photographic technique itself, thanks to the itinerary through the evolution of Clifford: the British revisited some places to repeat his images, and thus correct and improve his technique. This is "Clifford's journey and, with it, the journey of photography in our country," summarizes Valentín Vallhonrat, assistant director of the Museo Universidad de Navarra. This is "a unique opportunity to see Clifford's work together. A project like this has never been seen before," he assures.

Clifford "is the father of photography in Spain," Vallhonrat continues. - When we started building the MUN Collection, Rafael Levenfeld [with whom he shared the artistic direction and who passed away in 2024] and I wanted to review the history of photography in our country. Now we have done the Clifford exhibition that we wanted to have programmed 25 years ago," he explains.

This has now been possible thanks to the sum of different institutions and individuals: the works on display are part of the collection of curator Carlos Sánchez, which is associated with the MUN Collection, plus pieces from the Museum itself; in addition to the Royal Academy of Fine Arts of San Fernando, the Archive of the Patronato de la Alhambra and Generalife, the Library of Andalusia, the Library of the University of Navarra, the Fernández Rivero Collection of Malaga and the Academy of Fine Arts of Granada.

Architect Carlos Sánchez, a self-described "compulsive collector," has been associated with Clifford's work for decades. An expert in the Alhambra and Nasrid architecture, he was aware of the value of his works from the first time they fell into his hands.

In short, according to Valentín Vallhonrat, Clifford developed his profession at a time when it did not exist: "He opened the way for other photographers to follow".

Throughout 2025, and on the occasion of its tenth anniversary, admission to the MUN exhibitions is free thanks to an agreement with the Pamplona City Council. In addition, this exhibition is supported by the Government of Navarre and the Museums of Navarre network.