Luis Álvarez Catalá was a painter of portraits and historical scenes. He studied at the School of Fine Arts of San Fernando and was awarded a scholarship to Rome, to where he travelled with Eduardo Rosales and Vicente Palmaroli in 1857. There he painted Calpurnia’s Dream, which won a medal at the Florence Exhibition and at the 1862 Spanish National Exhibition of Fine Arts. His scholarship was also extended for a further three years. He won a Gold Medal at the 1890 Exhibition of Fine Arts for his Chair of Philip II in the Escorial at Berlin University and four gold medals at the world’s fairs in Barcelona (1889), Berlin (1891), Munich (1892) and Monaco (1893). After working as Deputy Director of the Prado with Federico de Madrazo, he was promoted to Director to replace Francisco Prado. He was also a member of the Berlin and Rome Academies.

• Julián Gállego Serrano
• María José Alonso

Manuel Eguilior y Llaguno represents the rise of the Bourgeoisie during the Bourbon Restoration. He graduated in Law in 1864 and plied his trade in Madrid for several years. He married Carmen Avial y Llorens, a woman from Madrid’s haute bourgeoisie. A supporter of Sagasta’s Liberal Party, he entered politics and was elected to the Spanish parliament in representation of Laredo in 1881. He continued to hold this seat until 1898. During his time in Parliament, he showed great interest in several issues regarding the development of Cantabria, where he had been born, such as the building of the Treto Bridge, the repairing of the Church at Ajo, improvements to the bridges in Castro Urdiales and Santoña, and subsidies for schools in Colindres.

Eguilior y Llaguno was the Under-Secretary for Overseas Territories (1883) and for the Treasury (1885-1886). He also served as the Minister for Finance under Sagasta on two occasions, from January to July 1890 and from November to December 1902.He also held the portfolio of Public Instruction and Fine Arts in Eugenio Montero Ríos’s government from October to December 1905, and was a Councillor of State (1906-1908). In 1898 he was appointed a senator for life, a post that he held until 1923. He was a member of the Banco de España Board between 1882 and 1885, and again in 1887. He was also twice governor of the bank, from October 1897 to March 1899, and from January to July 1916.

In 1905, King Alfonso XIII bestowed upon him the title of Count of Albox in recognition of his endeavours to repair the damage caused by the 1891 floods in the town of Albox (Almeria). Eguilior y Llaguno and his wife then sat for two magnificent portraits by Joaquín Sorolla, who painted the high society of that time. These portraits were painted in 1908 and 1905, respectively.

He died in Madrid without offspring. His brother Gregorio inherited the title of Count of Albox.

Elena Serrano García