The collection of European art, from the fourteenth to the early twentieth centuries, which protects the National Museum of San Carlos since 1968, is one of the most important in Latin America. It has its origin in the collection that began to form at the end of the eighteenth century in the Royal Academy of the Three Noble Arts of San Carlos of New Spain and that at the beginning of the 19th century was increased with works by the masters themselves and with those made by students during their study trips to Italy: as well as those that were presented to obtain the degree of academics; In this period, pieces from private collectors, the Academy of San Lucas in Rome and cloistered convents were also incorporated.
In the first decade of the 20th century, the Mexican government made an important donation of paintings acquired during the Spanish Art and Industry Exhibition, which took place during the Centennial celebrations of Mexican Independence. In the 1920s the Pani Collection was integrated and in the 1930s the Ministry of Finance donated important pieces from the 14th to the 17th centuries. The last important acquisitions by number and quality, occurred in the decades of the seventies and eighties, thanks to the interest of the National Institute of Fine Arts and national and foreign collectors.
