Hello people!
I have been to one of the most important museums without being there or traveling to Madrid, because the famous museum has travelled abroad and has come here. So suddenly, last weekend I have been able to enjoy the outdoors under a bright sun that illuminated many of the most famous paintings that the Prado Museum has, by great painters of history, I'm sure some of which will sound familiar to you...
This open-air exhibition is of official copies of the great artistic works of history, different collections, in the same way as the museum in Madrid is organized. The Spanish, Italian, Dutch collection, etc. from different periods and different painters such as Velázquez, Tintoretto, Rubens, etc. A lot of art that is now exhibited in a strange park, Jardín de la Gerencia, still under renovation, in the town of Sagunto, in the province of Valencia.
We are already beginning to see some of these magnificent paintings.
We look ahead and see that we still have many paintings to see throughout the park, which I will tell you more about in another post...
We continue with the unmistakable Greek painter El Greco, who lived in the royal court of Toledo, when this city was the capital of Spain, the first capital in fact. I really like the "Adoration of the Shepherds" because of the light, and you?
More works, there are about 50 of the most important of the more than 8000 that this great museum has. Have you ever visited the Prado Museum in Madrid?
And then the wonderful and famous paintings of Diego de Velázquez begin, who I believe is one of the best painters in the history of Spain and Europe.
Oh, in addition to the paintings, a legend with information in Spanish and English, there is a small image that shows us which part of the painting has been reproduced for this exhibition.
These smaller paintings are from the Villa Medici in Rome, which Velázquez painted when he was in that Italian city for further training. And then there is one of the most famous, although only a central part enlarged here, "The Surrender of Breda".
And for famous paintings by Velázquez, the most famous one worldwide, "Las Meninas", in this reproduction we see the central girl closer up. The good thing about this exhibition is that you can get as close as you want, take photos too, all without any problems, as they are only images.
Here some "great" art experts were enjoying the painting, truly appreciating the details. It is good for children to learn about and become familiar with good culture.
Another well-known Spanish painter is Francisco de Goya, and of course there are several works here as well, including the famous "Naked Maja" or the "Family of Charles IV", the one from "May 3, 1808 in Madrid" or the disturbing "Saturn Devouring His Children".
We always find more paintings of upper-class women, nobility who could afford these portraits and some of them by good painters are excellent, right?
"The Annunciation" by Fra Angelico is another well-known work that I really like for its color, composition, and I could see small details, including the sky, with the nose attached.
More paintings, by Italian Renaissance artists such as Mantegna and Botticelli, Veronese and Tiepolo, and also by the Venetians, Tiziano and Tintoretto, who I also like a lot.
One of the most acclaimed Italian painters could not be missing, Caravaggio and his prodigious mastery of light and darkness, contrasts that give great drama and realism to the work.
Now begins the collection of Dutch artists, well known for their attention to detail, costumbrism and good work. And among them, Hieronymus Bosch stands out clearly, with the "Garden of Earthly Delights", of which only a part of the central triptych can be seen here, and there are more, Rubens with the "The Three Graces" and Pieter Brugel the Elder, and others that I did not know.
I had never seen this painting before, but I liked it because of the glass-like grapes, the details of the family, and especially the funny, smiling face of the youngest girl, so I took another photo of her :)
We are finishing, enjoying not only art and culture but also a pleasant sunny winter day, bright and warmer than expected, but which made the experience much more peaceful. It makes you want to know more about paintings, painters and history, without having to go far or be in a cold and silent museum. Here in the park, besides sunbathing, you can talk, look closely and take all the photos you want. A great open-air museum experience! If you want to see the real paintings, then you should go to the Prado Museum, in Madrid (Spain).
