ABSTRACT
The new material, brings to light the quantity and quality of sculpture in the possession of the royal family, members of the aristocracy, merchants, scholars, and artists at the Spanish court. It entirely transforms the knowledge regarding the presence of sculpture in a wide range of Spanish collections of the period, which until now has been so erroneously characterized as close to non-existent. The ownership of ancient and modern sculptures became a signifier of the owner's wealth, political connections, and erudition. Gifts of sculpture sent from elsewhere in Europe to members of the court signaled the power of the recipient in the affairs of state. However, that the publication of the inventories provide other scholars with clues to identify sculptures know in private and public collections around the world, but it is quite likely that the great majority of the sculptures are lost forever.
