Ages of Splendor: A History of Spain in the Museo del Prado, co-organized by Museo Nacional del Prado and Museum of Art Pudong (MAP), opens to the public on April 23, 2024. The exhibition marks the largest presentation of Museo del Prado's collection in China in terms of scale. It is also one-of-a-kind in terms of content, as MAP stands to be the only institution in the whole world to hold this special project. The exhibition runs through September 1, 2024.

The exhibition features a selection of 70 masterpieces from the collection of Museo del Prado, among which 16 pieces have never been on view outside of Spain, and 9 have never been loaned out from the museum before. Over half of the works are shown for the very first time in Asia. Spanning from the 16th to 20th centuries, Ages of Splendor puts on view masterpieces by nearly 50 remarkable artists in the history of European art, including works by Titian, Veronés, El Greco, Rubens, Zurbarán, Velázquez, Murillo, Ribera, Goya, Fortuny and Sorolla.

Structured around different accounts, the exhibition consists of one special section entitled "In Focus" and 10 complementary themed rooms. "In Focus" features one of the most significant works of Museo del Prado – the Prado's Mona Lisa, which is believed to be the earliest known studio copy of Leonardo's masterpiece. Complemented by multimedia installations and archival materials, "In Focus" sheds light on the intricate interconnections between the Prado's Mona Lisa and the original at the Louvre. Through the 10 complementary themes such as "The Celebrations in the Spanish Court", "The Nobility, the Bourgeoisie and the Royalty in the Spanish Territories", "Thought and Spirituality", "Sacred Images as Everyday Images" and "The Beauty of Everyday Objects: The Still Life", visitors are introduced to Spain's social, political and historical evolution over nearly 500 years, from the reign of Charles V to the start of the 20th century. There is also a particular focus on the evolution of specific artistic genres such as mythology, dwarf, still life and religious painting, each of them the subject of specific rooms, of which the space devoted to mythology is particularly striking as it evokes the "Sala Reservada" (private room) that existed in the Prado during its early years. It's also worth noting that there are in total 8 masterpieces by Goya on view, making him the artist with the largest number of works in this exhibition.

Ages of Splendor: A History of Spain in the Museo del Prado is produced by Shanghai Lujiazui Development (Group) Company Limited, and co-organized by Museo Nacional del Prado and Museum of Art Pudong. The exhibition is curated by Dr. Pedro J. Martínez Plaza from 19th Century Painting Conservation Area at the Museo del Prado.

【About Museo Nacional del Prado】

Located in central Madrid, the Museo Nacional del Prado is Spain's national art museum and one of the finest art institutions in the world. Founded upon the former Spanish royal collection and expanded throughout time by means such as donations and acquisitions, the museum's current collection includes treasures of European art, dating from the 12th century to the early 20th century.

The building of the museum was built at the behest of King Carlos III and designed by the famous Spanish architect Juan de Villanueva in 1785. It was initially constructed to house the Natural History Cabinet. Years later, the monarch's grandson King Fernando VII, along with his wife Queen Isabel de Braganza, turned the building into the Royal Museum of Paintings and Sculptures, aiming to present the rich artistic and cultural heritage of the country to visitors from both Spain and abroad. The museum opened its door to the public for the first time in November 1819. In 1868, it was nationalized and officially renamed as Museo Nacional del Prado.

Today, the Museo del Prado stands as one of the world's most significant museums, housing prestigious European art collections. It boasts approximately 1,500 paintings, over 300 sculptures, and a diverse array of decorative arts, all displayed permanently. Annually, the museum orchestrates numerous temporary exhibitions, both within Madrid and in other cities around the globe, extending the reach of its collections to a broader audience.