The exhibition Fotografía y obra pública. Paisajes de la modernidad: Lucio del Valle (1815–1874) [Photography and public works. Modern landscapes: Lucio del Valle (1815-1874)] sheds light on the engineer Lucio del Valle’s close relationship with photography. His work, whether the result of an institutional commission or his own projects, was captured by the best photographers of the time (Laurent, Clifford and Martínez Sánchez), which created a rich, invaluable dialogue preserved in the Archivo Lucio del Valle photographic collection. This exhibition presents a practically never-before-seen selection of fascinating, original pieces from the time.

It is divided into two perfectly defined sections: testimonies of his most important constructions, and the unique photographic perspectives of the public works presented at the 1867 Exposition Universelle in Paris. Highlights of the first part include a selection of photographs of the road from Madrid to Valencia at the Sierra de las Cabrillas mountains and the River Cabriel, taken by José Martínez Sánchez, and of the construction of the Isabel II Canal and the renovation of the Puerta del Sol, taken by Charles Clifford.

The second part of the exhibition includes a selection of photographs presented at the 1867 Exposition Universelle, which reflect Lucio del Valle’s perspective on modernity and Spain’s progress through its development policies. This unique selection of materials has been released by the Archivo Lucio del Valle exclusively for this exhibition.