Did you know that in Spain there is a Museum of Miniatures?. I did not know it, until today.
If by collecting, we understand the action to collect a set of things of the same class, we will realize that in one way or another, in reality, most people are collectors of something.
Collectibles items may be intangible or tangible and, curiously, traveling can be a good way to collect both types of things.
A traveler collects experiences, feelings and memories, the latter may also be something physical that you can see or touch. Rare is the traveler, who, at some point along one of his trips, have not purchased anything in memory of a destination or a place.
Well, a great and particular example of traveler and collector of things (tangible), we can find, in the small town of Brihuega, also known as the Garden of the Alcarria.
Brihuega, Guadalajara
This nice village of Guadalajara, located an hour from Madrid (90 Km), saw the birth, in 1912, of John Chosen Millan (an anonymous person, who, over the years, become a popular character, the Teacher Max.
The Teacher Max
This curious neighbor from Brihuega, initially a doctor, a professor and a journalist, became famous as a mentalist and this allowed him to travel, around the world, by offering experiences of hypnotism and suggestion. They say that he was the first mentalist, who was able to hypnotize, by phone and by photography.
His striking activity and his adventurism gave him the opportunity to travel, to many parts of the world, awakening turn him a concern, to collect memories of small size. Which resulted in a large and interesting collection of miniatures, composed of thousands of pieces of unique value, over the years.
His passion for collecting tiny things was such that, in 1972, is open, in Mijas, the first "World Museum of Miniatures", called "Wagon Max", which housed 30,000 pieces and is still open today.
After the death of the Professor, in 1975, his sister and her husband opened, in 1977, the "World of Max", in Guadalest (Alicante). That museum gets numerous awards and honors for its work, including a Guinness record.
A Guinness Record
But it is, ultimately, the nephew of the Professor, who takes charge of the exhibition and he moved the museum from Guadalest to the Mancha region, placing the exhibition, definitely, in Brihuega. The Professor´s place, regardless of how far it was found, cause of his work, he always came back, every year, to visit during festivals and collaborated in the procession of the wax (party of provincial touristic interest).
The village of Brihuega kindly allowed the exposure of his illustrious neighbor from staying in one of the landmark buildings of the village, the Convent of San José. An old building, that was seized, from the Church, through the “Confiscation of Mendizabal” and served as a hospital, prison, school workshop and court, before becoming the World Museum of Miniatures, “Professor Max”.
The Convent of San José
The old and well preserved facade of the convent is far from the modern design of the exhibition hides inside, this being the first surprise, that the museum offers to its visitors.
Main entrance of the Convent
The entrance to see the exhibition may seem somewhat expensive, at the begining, € 6.50 per person (children under 3 years free); but bear in mind that the museum receives no subsidy and that proceeds, through gate passes, expenses and maintenance of the museum are paid.
Once inside the museum, the tour is not very long, since to house miniatures, it does not take much space. But what we need are good lenses increases, without which it would be virtually impossible to see some of the exhibits. So many of them, presented and protected inside cabinets, transparent columns or circular exhibitors, have magnifying glasses, to see, with some comfort, the scope of the miniatures.
Inside of the Museum
The entrance to the museum is dominated by a life-size figure of Professor Max and his exhibition offers numerous pleasant surprises to its visitors. You may find, among a myriad of things, a carved stick a match, small sculptures made of chalk, a couple of fleas dressed as newlyweds, a manuscript on the edge of a business card, a wide collection of shoes tiny, clear paintings on the head of a pin, one bullfighter task at the head of a match, many little dollhouses and hundreds of small and dwarf pieces, from various corners of the world.
A small dental prosthesis
A little house inside a walnut
But, between all the things displayed, two things reduced in size especially draw attention to the rest, though for very different reasons.
The first, is a copy of the “Last Supper”, by Leonardo Da Vinci, on a grain of rice. Not that the replica is accurate, much less, but through the loupe can perfectly be seen the amazing work, in miniature.
The "Last Supper" inside a rice
How was it possible to paint on a grain of rice to Jesus and his twelve disciples?, because, as we were indicated, in the museum, the author used a hand hair and holding his breath, was giving tiny strokes to rate heartbeat to define tiny painting.
Finally, it could not be otherwise, on leaving the museum, you can buy souvenirs of the place. Thumbnails of various types, for anyone collector of memorabilia or small things.
Although the museum of the Professor Max is a good incentive to visit Brihuega, the town itself has many charming corners, that invite to be known, whether they sooner or later decide to visit that exhibition of miniatures.
Brihuega has a broad artistic heritage, whose origin derives from passing by Romans, Arabs, Catholics and Jews.
Among the things you can see and visit, we found the Old Castle, several churches, the Wall, ancient arches, into town, and the bullring.
Well, if you want to visit Brihuega and its Museum of Miniatures, you can see this little map:
Convento San José Plaza de Manuel Leguineche, 2, 19400 Brihuega, Guadalajara, Spain.
Telephone number: +34 949 28 01 52
Until my next post, kind regards,
Luis.
Sponsored by Costaluz Lawyers.
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