In Matera, the building where the Spanish painter José Ortega once lived has become a charming museum, where the artist’s works blend with the mastery of the many local artisans who decorated it.

Ortega’s house is located in a 17th-century building in a panoramic position in the Sasso Barisano, within the perimeter of the ancient city walls.

It was here that the artist José Ortega arrived in 1972 after being forced to leave Spain due to a conviction for anti-Franco activities. This led him to live in France, where he frequented the vibrant cultural scene of Paris, coming into contact with important artists and intellectuals, including Antonello Trombadori and Pablo Picasso.

I believe I have found part of my history in Matera (…) I have always thought that here you have a culture, a civilization, a sensibility parallel to my own.

(Josè Ortega)

In Matera, the artist found his “second home” in places whose values, warmth, and colors reminded him of his native La Mancha. Here, he discovered papier-mâché and, thanks to his friendship with local artisans, who also helped him renovate his apartment, which was literally falling apart, created the “Pasaron” and “Muerte y Nacimiento” series, which, as a whole, constitute a unique work.

In 1976, after sixteen years of exile, Ortega obtained permission to return to Spain, and following his death in Paris in 1990, his heirs authorized the donation of the house where he had lived to the Zétema Foundation, with the restriction that it be used as a museum.

Inaugurated in 2014 by the Zètema Foundation, Ortega’s House was conceived with the dual purpose of documenting the great artist’s presence in Matera and encouraging the rediscovery and appreciation of the local artisan tradition.

The exhibition unfolds through the various rooms of the house—the dining room, bedroom, living room, and kitchen—embellished with furnishings crafted by local masters in a splendid blend of painting and decorative arts.

Among these, the celebrated ceramics of Giuseppe Mitarotonda, a great friend and collaborator of Ortega, stand out. These are particularly evident in the home’s spectacular vaulted ceilings, kitchen, and bathroom.

The 20 works on display, continually growing, are a marvel of great expressive power that addresses the theme of freedom through criticism of the Franco regime.

The visit also includes access to the beautiful panoramic terrace that envelops the palace and offers a breathtaking view of Matera.

Thanks to the power of Ortega’s work, his home is one of the most special places from which to grasp the full power of this land, with its “flowers” that have bloomed on the rock for 8,000 years.

The Secret

Ortega changed his style in Matera thanks to an unexpected encounter: on the feast of the Madonna della Bruna, he saw the papier-mâché float passing through the city streets and wanted to meet the papier-mâché masters who introduced him to their art. This is how Ortega’s paintings became three-dimensional, which is why a small parade float stands at the museum entrance.

Useful Info

Casa Ortega
Via San Nicola del Sole Sasso Barisano
75100 Matera
Tel. +39 366 9357768

Ticket: €5