Velázquez and the Celebration of Painting

Velázquez and the Celebration of Painting
The Golden Age in the Museo del Prado
24.02.2018 - 27.05.2018

The Museo del Prado opened in Madrid in 1819 to house the Spanish Royal Collection, and today is one of the premier art museums in the world. This exhibition consists of 70 pieces from the Prado, centering on seven works by Diego Velázquez (1599-1660), one of Europe’s greatest masters, among 61 examples of the pinnacle of 17th-century painting. In Spain it was a time of painting greats, from Velázquez to Ribera, Zurbarán and Murillo, and a royal court that supported the arts. Under the patronage of Philip IV, Velázquez was inspired by the masterworks by Titian, Rubens and others in the Royal Collection, and grew to be one of the great court painters of the century. Indeed, his presence was the realization of the glory of painting in Spain. This exhibition recreates the international art scene in 17th-century Spain as it centered on the court of Philip IV, and will fascinate viewers with the myriad splendors of the Prado collection.