A Strange Painting in the Museum of Xàtiva

In the region of Xàtiva, Valencian Communitiy, there´s a museum of fine arts which keeps many incredible paintings by artists who are well known throughout Spain and the world, including Goya and Miró. 

The building that the museum is located in used to be a school called La Casa de l´Ensenyança. It was completely renovated and is now a pride of the city. The paintings and works within are as old as the century XVI until more modern times, but there is one painting which catches your attention because it is upside down.

Who is that Guy?

This painting was made by an artist from Xàtiva. Josep Amorós and it shows the king Felipe V. To better understand why his painting is upside down, we have to understand the history of the area a bit more. 

During the war of Spanish Succession, there was a great battle which took place in Valéncia, known as the Battle of Almansa. The battle was between the Habsburg archduke Charles of Austria who many felt was the rightful heir to the throne of Spain, as well as the Bourbon king Felipe V (often called ´the pretender´). In what we know as one of the most defining battles in the history of Spain, the Bourbons won the Battle of Almansa and defeated the Habsburgs. 

Refuse to Surrender

But Xátiva refused to accept defeat. It was a very important strategic city, so to try and teach the people a lesson, a general came there with hundreds of troops and massacred much of population.

There were still many people and soldiers trying to defend the city and fighting continued several days. The king Felipe ordered the city to be burned in retaliation. Any survivors were taken to Castille and garroted.  For eight days Xátiva burned. 

Eventually, King Felipe V calmed down, and ordered the city to be rebuilt and carry his name. Obviously, that didn´t last long. In a final act of defiance long after the king´s death, the museum curator ordered his portrait to hang upside down in the museum. It has continued to be this way so that no one forgets the determination with which the people fought, and as a final way to demonstrate the perserverance of the land. 

There exists another reminder that has carried through history of this event, beyond the upside down hanging of the portrait. As a result of the long siege and burning of the city, the people of Xàtiva are known (affectionately) as ¨socarrats ¨..  the scorched ones.