CAPTURING THE SOUL

It's now two centuries since photography as we know it today was invented. A little over 180 years since the oldest preserved image became reality. Who could image in those days that such a curious technological advance would end up turning into one of the forms of expression most sought after by Art collectors in the twenty-first century?

In 2008, arteselección joins the PhotoEspaña celebrations with the best of our most international photographers. The works of Ramon Masats, a pioneer of photojournalism, are the cornerstone of an exhibition in which some of his most emblematic images, such as "Seminario, 1960" or Lebrija, 1961" are, of course, included.

It has never been so easy and affordable to have access to masterpieces by great Spanish photographers. Like the Masats - signed and titled in the master's own handwriting - all of the creations exhibited by arteselección have a special 10 per cent discount while PhotoEspaña lasts. Also photographs by José María Díaz-Maroto, Manuel Vilariño and so many others who know how to capture the essence of the photographed object.

This month arteselección samples that splendid artistic reality which in its early years made the natives fear that it would snatch their souls away.