Origins and History of Casa del Arte
Casa del Arte, also known as the Pinacoteca, is a Chilean pictorial and artistic museum. It is situated within the University City of Concepción, located on the campus of the Universidad de Concepción in Chile. The institution was established in 1967 and opened to the public on a permanent basis during that same year.
The museum holds a significant position in the regional landscape, containing the largest collection of Chilean paintings in the country outside of the capital, Santiago. Its historical importance is recognized by the state; Casa del Arte was declared a National Monument of Chile on September 10, 2010.
The Building and its Architecture
Located at Av. Chacabuco 1343 in Concepción, Chile, the building occupies the corner of Chacabuco and Larenas, directly opposite Plaza Perú. The construction was completed in 1965. It functions as a pictorial and artistic museum within the Universidad de Concepción campus.
The central hall contains the mural Presencia de América Latina by Jorge González Camarena. This work was painted between 1964 and 1965. The mural was a donation from Mexico to the Universidad de Concepción, provided as a gesture of solidarity following the 1960 earthquake. The building is a National Monument of Chile, a status it received on September 10, 2010.
Major Collections and Artworks
The museum holds approximately 1,800 works, representing a significant portion of the nation's pictorial history. It maintains the largest collection of Chilean paintings in the country alongside the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes de Santiago. This institution also contains the largest collection of Chilean art located outside the capital, Santiago. The holdings span from the works of anonymous colonial artists to those of the 19th and 20th centuries, and include pieces by foreign artists.
A central component of the holdings is the core collection acquired in December 1958. This group consists of 542 works from the Generación del 13, a movement involving 40 different artists. These acquisitions form a fundamental part of the institution's permanent inventory. The collection's breadth allows for a study of Chilean art history through various technical approaches and eras.
