What we propose you is an alternative tour. Anyway, before starting our visit together among the artistic treasures housed at the Prado National Museum in Madrid, a brief introduction to the museum itself may be helpful, so to provide some general information on its development:
- (1785) Charles III asks the court architect Juan de Villanueva to create the Gabinete de Historia Natural, a hill of sciences which includes an astronomical observatory and a botanical garden;
- (1819) after about thirty-four years of suspension (Charles III’s death in 1788 and occupation of Spain by the French from 1808 to 1814), under Ferdinand VII is inaugurated the Museo Real de Pinturas y Esculturas, which collects the works from the collections of the Spanish royals;
- (1868) following its nationalization, the museum takes the name of Museo Nacional del Prado;
- (1872) the collection from the Trinidad Museum, where all the ecclesiastical works stolen from the clergy are located, is transferred to the museum;
- (1971) an important collection of XIX century Spanish works, previously belonging to the Museum of Modern Art, becomes part of the museum’s heritage.
Today the Prado National Museum, built in neoclassical style with a central body (the façade features a sumptuous Doric pediment with mythological and allegorical reliefs) and two lateral galleries, is not only one of the largest museums in the world, with over 35,000 works, but also home to a major research institute active in a wide range of fields, from art conservation and study to digitalization.
Furthermore, the museum is among the most visited in the world, with an annual average of nearly 3 million visitors, and has inspired the design of the National Gallery of Art in Washington.
But now let’s begin our journey through a selection of nine wonders preserved here, and our guiding principle will be to grasp what these works have to tell us regarding a theme that certainly unites us all – some in one way, some in another –, that is the spiritual struggle to which men and women are called throughout their lives, almost on a daily basis.
HIERONYMUS BOSCH
Hieronymus Bosch is the pseudonym of Hieronymus van Aeken, a Flemish painter from Holland (mid-15th and the first two decades of the 16th century). He draws constant inspiration from popular beliefs and mysteries, greatly influenced by the doctrines of Flemish mystics. He has great influence on the painting of his period, particularly on the art of P. Bruegel (mid-16th century).
THE GARDEN OF DELIGHTS (1500-1505)
It is a work in oil on three oak panels. The painting can certainly be interpretated in more than one way. The one that most convinces us – and which we will therefore follow – is the representation of a religious vision of the inevitability of human destiny: man is inexorably destined to be defeated in his spiritual struggle against sin!
The starting point, in fact, is the painting on the back of the triptych, that is visible only when the three panels are closed. By using green-gray colors, the creation of the world is shown – specifically, the third day of creation, since both animals and human beings are absent –, a sort of globe with plants in an initial state and, at the top left, a small depiction of God wearing a papal tiara and, at the top center, a quote from Psalm 33, which emphasizes the creative power of God’s word. At the beginning of the world, everything is perfect, albeit a bit cold.
Here are the internal scenes of the triptych, in a sequence proceeding from left to right.
The first panel represents the Garden of Eden, with the recent creation of Eve and a young God, resembling Jesus, presenting her to Adam, who is just awakening. The scene features numerous animals, both real and imaginary.
In the middle panel, whose skyline continues that of the previous panel, we find the Garden of Delights, with intricate sequences representing the amorous/lustful attitudes of numerous characters. In addition to human figures, there are also many animals, both real and imaginary.
Moving to the third and final panel, we see a distinct separation from the previous representations, starting with the colors, which are very dark here. Proceeding from top to bottom, we see a burning city, a tree-man, mutated animals, demons, and scenes of torture. Perhaps we can even recognize a self-portrait of Bosch himself. This panel represents hell.
Therefore, if we want to provide a spiritual reading of the painting, we can affirm that at the beginning everything is perfect with the divine creation, even if a little cold (representation of the exterior of the triptych), then in the earthly paradise, with the creation of Eve and, mainly, with free will being established, everything takes on a new, more lively flavor (first panel), but we inexorably fall into the sin of the senses (second panel) and from there to final damnation (third panel).
VELÁZQUEZ
Diego Rodríguez de Sylva y Velázquez is the greatest painter of the Spanish Baroque (between the late 16th and the second half of the 17th century). He works at the Spanish court as official painter, thanks to his father-in-law Pacheco, who introduces him. His portrait of Philip IV gives him access to the Spanish court, working then on numerous other paintings of royals and members of the court. During his long career, he meets with Rubens and visits Italy. In addition to portraiture, his work includes mythological depictions and a few religious paintings.
LAS MENINAS – THE DAMSELS (1656)
It is a famous oil-on-canvas painting by Velázquez. The scene takes place in the painter’s studio. There are two interpretations: as for the first one, the painting’s protagonist would be the five-year-old Infanta Margarita, who, located at the center of the painting, is surrounded by her two damsels and, among other figures, two court dwarves and a dog. However, the position of Velázquez, also present in the painting, is decidedly unnatural as he paints; as for the second hypothesis, the true protagonists would be the royals Philip IV and Mariana of Austria, whose reflection appears in the mirror in the background, just above the Infanta, although decidedly in the background (this would be consistent with the painter’s position in the painting). Which of the two hypotheses is more likely? Probably, both hypotheses have some truth element, considering the expressive freedom the painter undoubtedly uses. Suffice it to say, for example, that the painting is also highly original in its representation of space, which even goes beyond the physical limits of the canvas, leaving one to imagine that the window on the right continues, as well as the continuation of the canvas that can be seen just to the left.
LAS HILANDERAS – THE SPINNERS (1657)
This is another famous oil-on-canvas painting by Velázquez. The painting is on two levels: in the foreground there is the tapestry weaving of St. Isabel, with five women engaged in their daily activities of weaving and more, rendered with remarkable naturalness and a series of representative details; in the background, the scene recalls the sixth book of Ovid’s Metamorphoses, that is the myth of Arachne who, after having challenged Athena, although winning the contest, is transformed by the goddess into a spider.
Both Velázquez’s works provide us with consideration elements about the inevitable human defeat: the first painting shows a scene of court life, and therefore of ‘human success,’ but with all the emptiness and self-referentiality of that environment; in the second one there is a clear contrast between the humility of the foreground scene and the human pride epitomized by the myth of Arachne in the background scene, which ultimately prevails but at last is condemned.
Therefore, the defeat in the spiritual struggle is inexorable in the human journey between ephemeral conquests and pride, even from a secular point of view.
FRANCISCO DE GOYA
Engraver and, above all, painter, he lives between the mid-18th and early 19th centuries. He studies in Zaragoza and Madrid, living in poverty throughout his life and afflicted by deafness for approximately the last thirty-six years. He travels to Rome and Venice. Married, he has twenty-four children. The top of his career at court is under Charles IV, while under Ferdinand VII he begins his gradual retreat, first to the countryside and then into exile in Bordeaux, where he dies. His art shows various pictorial evolutionary phases, but always maintains a high degree of sweetness, sensuality, and drama, effectively demonstrating a tendency toward Romanticism.
3 MAY 1808 (1814)
The oil-on-canvas painting has a twin: ‘2 May 1808’, which represents, with a tension-filled dynamism, the revolt in Madrid against the invading French army.
Here, instead, the painting shows the execution of several Madrid citizens after the suppression of the May 2nd revolt. In the background, on the right, Madrid can be glimpsed, while in the foreground, on the right, the French firing squad lines up in a perfect row, with the soldiers’ faces being covered. A lantern on the ground illuminates the scene on the left, where, in the center, stands the figure of a peasant in light-colored clothing with outstretched arms, almost as a new Christ on the cross, facing human injustice.
The spiritual reference is certainly to the possibility of revenge, that is the existence of a secular/religious hope through which, before unjust suffering, man is called to resist, even with martyrdom if it is necessary.
TIZIANO VECELLIO
He is first a mosaic artist, then a painter. He lives between the second half of the 15th and the second half of the 16th centuries, working in Venice and then, having achieved great fame, at various European courts, dedicating himself to court portraiture and mythological themes. In Rome from 1545 to 1546, he then moves to Spain to the courts of Charles V and Philip II. He is called ‘the Michelangelo of northern Italy’.
CHARLES V AT MÜLBERG (1548)
This is a large oil-on-canvas painting, showing Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, on his steed after his victory in the Battle of Mülberg in Germany in 1547 against the Protestant troops of John Frederick.
The chiaroscuro creates a striking impact on the majestic figure of Charles V, who, with a proud gaze, keeps a tight rein on his frenzied horse. In the background, one can see the glow of a new dawn beginning.
Our journey toward a possibility of revenge in our spiritual combat continues, highlighting the need for a trustworthy leader who, in his deeds, has already won his own battles and can therefore guide others in their personal struggle, that is a sort of spiritual guide, a true Jedi master, taking the term from ‘Star Wars’ by G. Lucas. Those who had the grace of knowing Fr. Emidio Alessandrini well, and even having him as a spiritual director, will clearly understand what we mean when we speak of the importance of having a trustworthy guide who knows how to accompany you.
ROGIER VAN DER WEYDEN
He is a Belgian Flemish painter, born in the late 14th century and dead in the early second half of the 15th century. He is very famous in his time, later is forgotten, and then rediscovered only in the mid-19th century. He visits Italy during the Jubilee of 1450.
Is he perhaps the renowned ‘Master of Flémalle’, author of three panels in the Abbey of Flémalle, now in Frankfurt, and is he a disciple of Jan van Eyck?
DEPOSITION FROM THE CROSS (1435)
This is an oil painting on a panel in the shape of an up-side-down ‘T’. It has a powerful emotional impact, generated by the large number of figures depicted and the chiaroscuro effects. Starting from the right and moving clockwise, we see Nicodemus with a servant and Mary Magdalene in a posture that, according to the expressive canons of the time, shows an extreme desperation; then John in a red robe, Mary of Clopas, and Mary Salome; a servant on a ladder, and Joseph of Arimathea. At the center of this narrative vortex is Jesus being taken down from the Cross. His posture, with his arm hanging, is exactly replicated by his mother, Mary, in a blue robe.
Then, what is the path to spiritual victory? The painting reveals that the suffering endured by Christ is fully reflected in Mary, the image of the Church that is called to share the passion of Christ the Redeemer.
TINTORETTO
Iacopo Robusti, known as Tintoretto after his father’s profession (dyer), lives and works in Venice during the 16th century. Probably trained in Titian’s workshop, he rarely leaves Venice, except for a brief stay in Mantua in 1580, working almost exclusively for religious commissions.
His works have a powerful emotional impact on the viewer, thanks to their off-center compositions, narrative diagonals, and the luminism of his pictorial creations, powerfully expressing the spiritual crisis of his time through color.
THE WASHING OF THE FEET (1548-1549)
Originally located in the presbytery of the church of Santa Marcuola in Venice, the painting is striking for its intense chiaroscuro, with a narrative that proceeds diagonally from the lower right to the upper left: Jesus, kneeling, washes the feet of an incredulous St. Peter, while the other apostles are busy: talking, taking off someone’s pants, doing everything but paying attention to the educational and prophetic action of Christ. In short, a Church grappling with matters that leave little room for true following of Christ, who instead is demonstrating how the path of service and humility is the way to salvation in human spiritual battle.
EL GRECO
This name is a pseudonym of Domìnikos Theotokòpulos, born in Crete in the mid-16th century. He works for about ten years in Italy, in Venice and Rome for Cardinal Alessandro Farnese, then settling in Spain. For the subjects he portrays, he is rightfully called the painter of the Counter-Reformation, although he does not always do so according to the recognized canons of the time, and this causes him considerable problems with commissions.
THE TRINITY
This oil-on-canvas work unfolds vertically: the dead Christ, bearing the marks of the passion on the Cross and displaying Michelangelo-like musculature, is supported by God the Father, wearing an oriental-style miter. Both are surmounted by the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove. A powerful light radiates from above, illuminating the Trinity and the surrounding angels.
Redemption is palpable here: humanity, like Christ, is called to experience the passion and bear its wounds, but in the certainty that the Father and the Holy Spirit will raise each one from death!
FRANCISCO DE GOYA
THE SLEEP OF REASON BREEDS MONSTERS (1797)
In order to conclude our journey into the spiritual battle to which every man and woman is called, through the analysis of some of the most beautiful works preserved in the National Prado Museum, we have thought of presenting this engraving work by Goya, which is part of a collection of eighty engravings entitled Los caprichos, published in 1799.
For human spiritual battle to succeed, man and woman have received a great gift from the Creator: their reason, their rationality in the broadest sense. When this is lacking, in fact, the most monstrous and fearful creatures attack and cloud our minds. On the contrary, reason – but a reason accompanied by Faith reason – helps us to understand, to remember, to discern, and, when situations are unclear, to trust those who can guide us in the battle until we get fully awaken.
Let us not forget, in fact, that in the ‘Creation of Adam’, the famous fresco by Michelangelo Buonarroti in the Sistine Chapel, God is shown wrapped in a red cloak and by angels, all this reproducing the shape of a human brain, which reminds us that the Creator has given man not only life, but also intellect and the ability to think.