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Why the
Prado Museum
is special
The Prado Museum in Madrid houses one of the world's finest collections of
European classical paintings.
Tips & insights on
the Prado Museum
 The
Prado Museum has a full range of artworks, including sculptures. However, its
crowning splendor is its 12th to early 19th century European paintings.
Its
Italian and Flemish collections are outstanding, but the Spanish assemblage
shines brightest. This is particularly true in the works of Velasquez, Goya and
El Greco.
Velasquez's
(and the museum's) most famous painting is the Maids of Honor. See photo.
The
young Princess Margarita is the centerpiece. She is looking at her parents, the
king and queen, who are modeling for the artist Velasquez (you can see him
working behind the large easel). You cannot see the royal couple directly
because they are positioned where you the viewer are. Their image is reflected
in the framed mirror on the far wall, directly to the right of Velasquez.
El
Greco's masterpieces in the Prado Museum include The Adoration of the Magi.
Goya
is Prado Museum's strongest visitor magnet. His emotional Third of May painting
is immensely admired.
Flemish
art treasures include the Garden of Earthly Delights (by Bosch) and The Three
Graces (by Rubens).
Despite
the fact that the Prado Museum is large, it has sufficient space to display just
one-sixth of all its 8,000+ paintings at one time. They have to be rotated.
Waiting
lines can be long outside and gallery spaces crowded inside. The time to come is
between 12 to 2 p.m. when most people are eating or enjoying their siestas.
Prado
is pronounced prah'-doh. The name means meadow (centuries ago there was a
meadow in the area).
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