Another Sunday Another Palacio 11-2-25

We both love the smaller museums usually dedicated to a single topic, sometimes an artist, sometimes a trade, or a family.  Today we visited the Museo Palacio de Lebrija, a museum contained in the private residence of the Countess of Lebrija.  She was a 19th century countess, widowed from the count, who became a celebrated amateur archaeologist. She was very wealthy and could afford to finance her own digs, but to her credit she was one of the earliest of the breed who adhered to modern archaeological practice. Documenting her finds in situ and studying them rigorously before writing up conclusions. She was professional enough to be elected to scientific societies of the day previously limited to men. One thing we’re rapidly learning ourselves is how compact the antique city center really is, it took us only 15 minutes to get there from our apartment.  

The palacio is celebrated for its unmatched private collection of Roman mosaic floors. But there are also ancient Greek and Roman artifacts all collected by the Countess.  The floors and walls of the ground floor rooms and courtyard are covered in 1st century Roman mosaics and fragments,  then there are Greek and Roman sculptures displayed throughout.  In other rooms and the main staircase the decorations are 15th century tiles and woodwork in the Mudejar manner.  Mudejar generally exhibits a fusion of Moorish and Spanish influences with the occasional Roman motif thrown in for good measure.  Cabinets around the covered walls of the main courtyard are filled with the smaller artifacts discovered during the digs. Her interests and wealth remind me of the Jacquemart-Andre Museum in Paris or the John Soane Museum in London. She had a wide ranging intellect and didn’t limit herself to archaeology but also painted. Not a Whistler or Picasso but a competent  amateur.  I’m sure she improved her skills when illustrating various artifacts 

being dug up.  This visit included a tour of the private quarters on the second floor, which revealed a comfortable but not extravagant lifestyle. As the furnishings are all from the time that the Countess lived in the palace, the 1910’s through the 1950’s. Almost all the paintings are reproductions of paintings that she donated to several Spanish museums. But the decorative items are all ‘of the period’ they were produced.  Since she was childless her great-nephew inherited the title and is the current Count. He lives part-time in the palace.

Following our visit you might be surprised to know it was time to go somewhere for lunch. Today we determined that we’d like to eat at a place where we’ve already two other times, Maestro Rufino.  So we walked back to the Alameda de Hercules and requested a table on the patio in front of the restaurant.

Since we don’t ever make reservations it’s always a crap shoot as to whether they will have  a table or not, at least outside. But today we were in luck and they seated us at a very nice table in the shade, one of the last two available.  Another couple walked up and sat at the other table whereupon the the waiter came up and informed them that it was reserved. But he took them inside and gave them a table in there.  We’re working through their menu, so today we started with a plat of chorizo and a house specialty salad.  The salad was particularly good with greens, cubes of grilled goat cheese, and mixed nuts and raisins. Following that we had an order of Duck Risotto, which was heavenly, but only after it came to the table did I realize I should have ordered one for each of us.  It was dueling spoons from the first bite until we scraped out the 

bowl. We have now eaten all their rice entries and first place goes to the duck, followed very closely by the meat based paella, and finally the seafood paella.  We’re down to our last 7 days and both agreed that we’ll eat here at least one more time if  not more.   

As we walked back towards the apartment we stopped to watch Sevilliana life take place all over the Alameda. There was a little playground where very little people were running riot over the slides and climbing equipment. Then across from us there was an impromptu soccer match between a maybe 12 year old guy and his two younger sisters, very hard to see who might be winning. All the while couples and families were strolling up the pavement headed who knows where but definitely enjoying their Sunday afternoon.