Cristóbal Balenciaga, the elder statesman of the avant-garde, Spanish Civil War refugee, designer mentor to Hubert de Givenchy and André Courrèges, died in 1972. But a new exhibit of some of his best work sheds light on his complicated life.

The Balenciaga show opening at the Queen Sofia Spanish Institute in New York today is subtitled "Spanish Master," and it turns out the museum means to emphasize the first word just as much as the second. The 76 garments and accessories that comprise the show are presented alongside notes about Spanish history, works of Spanish art, and pieces of Spanish regional dress that highlight the couturier's relationship with his native land.

Balenciaga flamenco-inspired evening dress, 1951. Photo by Henry Clarke for Vogue.