Portrait of Spain: Masterpieces from the Prado

Jose de Castillo, The Meadow of San Isidro

Portrait of Spain: Masterpieces from the Prado, curated for the Queensland Art Gallery by the Museo Nacional de Prado in Madrid, is a wonderful exhibition which features the work of iconic Spanish artists from the sixteenth, seventieth and eighteenth centuries. The exhibition showcases over 100 artworks painted by artists such as El Greco and Velazquez as well as works by artists including Titian and Giovanni Domenic Tiepolo who, though not Spanish, painted for the royal court and were influenced heavily by the development of painting in Spain.

The works, comprising of royal portraits, still lifes, landscapes and biblical scenes reveal the differing social classes that existed within Spain during these centuries as well as the beliefs and values held by society. It is a reflection of Spanish identity in the sixteenth, seventieth and eighteenth centuries.

This exhibition is exclusive to Brisbane only and is a must see. Portrait of Spain presents all those who live in Brisbane with “an unprecedented opportunity to see extraordinary works of art, created by some of history’s most renowned and revered painters, from of the most prestigious and unique museum collections in the world.”

I know personally after seeing this exhibition I was overcome with an all-consuming desire to pick up a paintbrush and just paint, paint, paint! The technique and skill of many of the Spanish artists on show is truly remarkable and, (for me at least), inspiring.

For more information click here.