Museo Del Prado

Museo Nacional del Prado

The Museo Nacional del Prado in Madrid is a world-renowned institution housing an exceptionally important royal collection. Founded on 16th-century acquisitions by Charles V and thriving under Habsburg and Bourbon monarchs, this collection forms the museum's core with masterpieces by Velázquez, Goya, and Bosch. Originally designed by Juan de Villanueva in 1785 and opened in 1819, the museum has evolved through over 2,300 new acquisitions, including Barón Emile d'Erlanger’s 1881 donation of Goya’s Black Paintings and significant bequests from Don Pablo Bosch and Don Pedro Fernández Durán.

Visitor Informations

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Must-see Artworks

The Museo Nacional del Prado offers an unparalleled journey through art history, spanning from Spanish, Italian, French, and Flemish paintings up to 1800 to specialized collections of Sculpture, Decorative Arts, and Prints. This vast timeline includes the "Prado extendido" and "The female perspective," providing a comprehensive view of artistic evolution across centuries.

At "The Art Here," we particularly highlight the museum’s 19th-century Painting collection. As the largest school in the museum with 2,690 works, it features masterpieces of Spanish art ranging from Neo-classicism to Naturalism. Visitors can explore twelve dedicated galleries in the Villanueva Building, showcasing the realist approach of Eduardo Rosales, the Luminist painting of Mariano Fortuny, and iconic history paintings such as Francisco Pradilla’s Doña Juana la Loca and Antonio Gisbert’s The Execution of Torrijos and his Companions.

From the romantic landscapes of Genaro Pérez Villaamil to the masterful portraits by Federico Madrazo and the transition to naturalism with Joaquín Sorolla, our guide focuses on this rich, diverse era.

Select an artwork to explore

Boys on the Beach

Boys on the Beach

1909 (Signed in 1910)

Joaquín Sorolla y Bastida

Location📍  Museo Del Prado, Room 060A

Between late June and late September 1909, during a fruitful three-month stay in Valencia, Joaquín Sorolla produced several masterpieces, including The Horse’s Bath. While this work is signed "1910," it must have been painted in the summer of 1909, as it was already reproduced in a book printed in December of that year. Reflecting his Mediterranean fascination, Sorolla drew on the motif of nude children favored by Mariano Fortuny and Sargent, but distinguished his work by removing the horizon and bringing the sea’s edge into the immediate foreground, turning the water's movement into a purely pictorial subject. Despite the canvas's size, he painted it from life without previous studies, achieving a perfect balance between static postures and dynamism. The composition strategically guides the viewer’s gaze: the diagonal position of the boy in the foreground draws us into the canvas, while his turned face carries our gaze back to the second boy and finally to the abandoned posture of the third, who lies parallel to the upper edge. There is a gradual increase in relaxation and chromatic intensity according to the distance from the viewer; the white flesh of the nearest boy transitions through the tanned shades of the second to the reddish-bronze of the soaked boy in the background. Sorolla meticulously rendered the sun’s intensity through highlights that evolve from matte white impastos on the driest boy to very luminous reflections on the fully wet skin of the third. The artist captured the movement of the water using very broad brushstrokes with turquoise, blue, violet, and mauve tones, also reflecting the small hollow created by the undertow near the central figure's feet. Of special interest is the double silhouette cast by the figures, which the artist observed under Valencia’s intense midday sun: their lower silhouettes correspond to their reflections on the water, while those directly below their bodies are their shadows, colored in a shade of violet.

And They Still Say Fish Is Expensive!

And They Still Say Fish Is Expensive!

1894

Joaquín Sorolla y Bastida

Location📍  Museo Del Prado, Room 061A

Produced in 1894, this emblematic work is a masterpiece of Spanish social realism, earning Sorolla a First Medal at the 1895 National Exhibition. The subject and title were inspired by the tragic concluding scene of Vicente Blasco Ibáñez’s novel Flor de mayo, reflecting the harsh reality of seafaring life. Set in the confined interior hold of a fishing boat, the composition depicts a young fisherman lying on the floor after a maritime accident. While two older sailors—one in a traditional barretina—tenderly treat his wound, the scene transcends mere reportage to evoke the dramatic solemnity of a secular pietà. Sorolla imbues the figures with a noble gravity, a quality critics later compared to the influence of Velázquez. The painting’s power lies in its daring spatial design and mastery of luminosity. Light streams through the boat’s hatch, softly illuminating the hold and culminating in the silvery reflections of freshly caught fish piled in the background. A modern, sharp-angled framing shifts the perspective, revealing the stairs down which the boy was carried and heightening the spatial tension of the enclosed setting. Although adhering to the formal rigors of strict naturalism with firm, descriptive drawing, the powerful presence of the figures, who dominate the composition relative to the canvas size, creates a profound sense of solemnity that anticipates the innovative painterly language of Sorolla's later oeuvre.

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Historical Overview

Designed by architect Juan de Villanueva in 1785, the building was ordered by King Charles III for the Natural History Cabinet. However, King Ferdinand VII, encouraged by Queen Maria Isabel de Braganza, designated it as the Royal Museum of Paintings and Sculptures. This institution, soon renamed the National Museum of Paintings and Sculptures and subsequently the Museo Nacional del Prado, opened to the public in November 1819.

The museum's first catalogue included 311 paintings, while its total collection comprised over 1,510 pictures from Royal Residences. This royal collection began to increase significantly in the 16th century under Charles V and continued to thrive under the succeeding Habsburg and Bourbon monarchs. Later, it was enriched by the Museo de la Trinidad and Museo de Arte Moderno, including Barón Emile d'Erlanger’s 1881 donation of Goya’s Black Paintings. Growth continued with Rafael Moneo’s expansion (2001–2007) and the Museo Nacional del Prado Act in 2003, which modernized the museum's governance.

Architecture

The Museo del Prado completed its most significant extension via Rafael Moneo's project, selected in 1998. Under Ministry of Culture supervision, work began in 2002 to integrate the Jerónimos Cloister. The new building adds 22,000 square metres—a 50% increase—ensuring an ordered and spacious arrangement for the collection. This expansion forms the Museo del Prado Campus, incorporating the Casón and Salón de Reinos (remains of Buen Retiro Palace) within the Paseo del Prado district.

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When to Visit

For more details, visit the official website ↗

Special Notes for Visitors

• Closed: 1 January, 1 May and 25 December
• Limited opening hours: 6 January, 24 and 31 December (10 am ~ 2 pm)

Admission

Admission Fee

• Permanent Collections: Paid Admission
• Temporary Exhibitions: Paid Admission
• Admission Policy
• Museum tickets cover entry to the full Collection as well as temporary exhibitions.
• A time pass is mandatory for admission. Ensure you select your visit date and time at the point of purchase.
• Check the official website for detailed rates ↗

Free admission hours

• Free Admission: Enjoy free access to the permanent Collection during the final two hours before closing, available until full capacity is reached.
• Reduced Admission: A 50% discount is applied to temporary exhibition tickets during these free access hours.

⚠️ Admission varies by visitor category. ⚠️ Rates and conditions are subject to change. Please visit the official website for current information.

Complimentary Admission

To benefit from free or reduced admission, visitors must belong to one of the following categories and present official, valid, and updated proof of status at the ticket office on the day of the visit.

• Full Eligibility Guide → Read about free admission

Reduced admission

• Full Eligibility Guide → Read about reduced admission

• Full Eligibility Guide → Read about free admission

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#Museo Nacional del Prado #Museo Del Prado #Madrid Art Museums #National Museum of Paintings #Royal Museum of Paintings #Spain Art Journey #Masterpieces in Madrid #19th-century Painting

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📍 Museo Del Prado | Madrid | Spain

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