Vicente Palmaroli y González was the son of the painter and lithographer Cayetano Palmaroli, who introduced Vicente to painting. The latter would then go on to be taught by Federico de Madrazo. Palmaroli studied at the San Fernando School of Fine Arts and became a member of its Academy in 1872. In 1882 he was appointed director of the Spanish Academy in Rome, where he had spent long periods, as indeed he had in Naples and Florence. In 1895, he became director of the Prado Museum. He was made a Commander of the Order of Merit of Charles II and of Isabella I of Castile, and was awarded the Cross of the French Legion of Honour. He successfully pursued all genres, particularly the tableautin in the style of Mariano Fortuny, whom he equalled on occasion. As a painter of historical scenes, his The Third of May 1808 - a theme that had met with mixed reactions in Goya’s two great paintings - was acclaimed. It served Palmaroli to showcase his talent in 1871 with a relatively contained pathos. He also produced religious painting, such as the Sacra conversazione led by Saint Ildephonsus, which he painted in Rome in 1862 in homage to Isabella II of Spain and her husband. Palmaroli was awarded the Second Place Medal at the 1862 National Exhibition (National Heritage) for the painting.

• Julián Gállego Serrano
• María José Alonso

Pío Gullón e Iglesias was educated in Paris, where his uncle Bernando Iglesias lived. He moved to Madrid before he turned 20, where he actively expressed his progressive political ideas through his contributions to newspapers such as La Nación and Las Novedades. He was the editor of El Porvenir, El Siglo Industrial and La Unión Mercantil.

He was actively involved with Práxedes Mateo Sagasta in the setting up of the Constitutional Party, which emerged from the spilt in the progressive movement following the death of General Prim in 1871. Gullón drafted the Manifesto of 18 October, which set out Sagasta’s programme. The Constitutional Party became the heart of the Liberal Party during the time of the Bourbon Restoration.

He was appointed Undersecretary of State twice in 1874 and returned several times as the member of parliament for Astorga between 1871 and 1886, until he was made a senator for life in that year. He was a State Councillor in 1881, Minister of the Interior in 1883 and State Minister three times: in 1897-1898, in 1905 and in 1906.

He chaired the Banco Hipotecario between 1877 and 1892, when he took up the post of Governor of the Banco de España, which he held until 1895. He was appointed Governor again in 1901. He was one of the founders of the Monarchist Democratic Party in 1907. He likewise chaired the Council of State for three years before resigning in 1913.

Elena Serrano García