Did you know that this magnificent building. The Antigua Academia de San Carlos. Was once a hospital? A hospital treating venereal diseases no less. The Hospital del Amor de Dios. The Hospital of the Love of God. It stood here from the 16th century until 1786. Then it was transformed.
The Antigua Academia de San Carlos. It’s more than just a beautiful building. It’s a cornerstone of Mexican art and architecture. Founded in 1781 as a School of Engraving. It quickly expanded its scope. Soon it became the first major art school and the first art museum in the Americas. Imagine the talent that flowed through these halls.
Gerónimo Antonio Gil was the driving force. He arrived in 1778 to teach engraving at the Casa de Moneda the Royal Mint. Seeing a greater need he petitioned the crown. His vision materialized in 1783. The Real Academia de San Carlos de las Nobles Artes de la Nueva España was born.
Manuel Tolsá arrived in 1791. He became director and brought with him a treasure trove of plaster casts. These casts from European masterpieces formed the nucleus of the academy’s collection. These casts. Still here today. Serve as a tangible link to the academy’s rich past. They’re not just teaching tools they are historical artifacts.
The building’s stunning Italian Renaissance facade was designed by Javier Cavallari in 1852. Look closely at the six medallions. Four represent the academy’s founders. King Carlos III. José Bernardo Couto. Director Antonio Gil and Fernando José Manguino. The other two celebrate Michelangelo and Raphael. Cavallari also completed the interior. Creating a breathtaking patio. Painting and sculpture galleries. A conference room.
In 1913 a Parisian company L Lapeyrer installed an Art Nouveau glass dome over the patio. A testament to the academy’s ongoing evolution. Its embrace of different styles and periods.
The Antigua Academia de San Carlos. This building. It witnessed the birth of Mexican art. It housed a vast collection. Now shared between the Museo Nacional de San Carlos and the Museo Universitario de la Academia. It continues to nurture artistic talent. The graduate fine arts program of the UNAM. The National Autonomous University of Mexico. Flourishes here. A testament to its enduring legacy. A legacy you can feel. Right here. In this very spot.