Tribute to the father of the Duchess of Alba in the Liria palace: ‘He brought’ Tutankhamun to Spain

“Alba and Carter. One hundred years discovering Tutankhamen”; This is the name of the extraordinary exhibition that opened this Thursday, December 1, at the Palacio de Liria in Madrid. The exhibition pays homage to the work of Jacobo Fitz-James Stuart y FalcóXVII Duke of Alba and father of Cayetanato disseminate in Spain the discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb and bring the English archaeologist to our country Howard Carterwhen the 100th anniversary of the discovery of the tomb of the Egyptian pharaoh is fulfilled.

Read also: When the future Duchess of Alba met Egyptologist Howard Carter

The historical legacy and unpublished pieces of the grandfather of Eugenia Martinez de Irujowho died more than 70 years ago, will be open to the public at the official residence of the house of Alba, the Palacio de Liria, until April 30, 2023.




In the exhibition it will be possible to appreciate the important role that the XVII Duke of Alba played in organizing the conferences that the archaeologist Howard Carter gave on the tomb of Tutankhamen in Madrid in 1924 and 1928. Carter was the one who, in November 1922, discovered tomb KV62, belonging to the 18th dynasty pharaoh Tutankhamun (Tut-Ankh-Amun), in the Valley of the Kings in Egypt.

The exhibition is nourished by original documents, photographs and unpublished pieces and reveals the great friendship between the then Duke of Alba and the most famous archaeologist in history, whose visits to Spain were enormously successful.

Eugenia, proud of her grandfather

Through her Instagram account, Eugenia Martínez de Irujo, granddaughter of the honored duke, shows her pride and some pieces, images and other details of the exhibition. “These things move me,” wrote the daughter of Cayetana Fitz-James Stuart, Duchess of Alba.




The publication on the social network has had interesting reactions, such as that of Brianda Fitz-James Stuartdaughter of Jacobo Siruela and great-granddaughter of the honored duke who has answered her aunt with a heart icon.

Eugenia has also received answers from well-known names such as the soprano Ainhoa ​​Arteta, who shows his surprise: “Wow. I didn’t know. And I’m passionate about Carter’s life,” he confesses in the publication. They have also reacted or commented on the post mariola orellana, Rosa All, Marisa Martín-Blázquez and the aesthetic expert Natalia de la Vegaby Tacha Beauty, who has revealed her passion for the subject: “I don’t miss it and I’m Egyptian crazy and I knew about your grandfather.”




Just a few days ago, Eugenia also used her Instagram account to remember her mother on November 20, the eighth anniversary of the Duchess’s death, with an endearing photograph of her mother.




Surely the exhibition serves to learn a little better about the historical legacy of this family that generates so much curiosity. The exhibition can be accessed from 10:15 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. in the mornings and from 4:15 p.m. to 6:15 p.m. in the afternoons. General admission costs seven euros and reduced admission only five. This subscription includes an audio-guided tour of the exhibition and the Palacio de Liria itself, built in the 18th century, and located in the central Calle Princesa in Madrid, very close to Plaza de España.