Voces del Prado

2002-2017. Miguel Zugaza

Manuela Mena Marqués, Head of the Department of Conservation of 18th Century Painting and Goya, 1978-2019

It’s important for the head of a museum such as the Prado, which is a grand museum, to possess the language that is required for a museum. Those who don’t have it are doomed to failure sooner or later. However, in this case, Miguel Zugaza came from the museum world, more or less small museums, but they all have their complexity, and he began his management approach little by little. He started by introducing changes that went unnoticed, which are the most effective changes, those in which it appears that nothing has changed. And, in the end, everything changed under Miguel Zugaza, although it didn’t seem that way. He endowed the Museum with a precise structure, increasing its departments, its areas, etc. He brought in new staff, without any reservations; because up until that time, there had been a tradition based on a certain reluctance at the Museum, one that began with the former directors of the nineteenth century. Everything was done very carefully: “better to be few of us rather than many and not know who they are.” I have experienced that fear here. That intelligent desire to appoint new staff was very interesting, also from a human point of view. But Miguel Zugaza had no fear. Furthermore, the administrative set-up had also changed, and he felt no fear of being suddenly sacked, because a parliamentary agreement had been reached not to simply dismiss the Director of the Museo del Prado when the Ministry changed hands. In this respect, he could begin to change things based on longer-term planning.
He was also a great personality, and still is. He was very sociable and open, the kind of man who would go and talk to whomever necessary in order to achieve something for the Museum. He was a master of diplomacy, to such an extent that those who spoke to him didn’t even notice his diplomacy. The mark of a true diplomat. I think he achieved everything that was possible to achieve, as well as securing the incorporation of a professional through and through from a foreign museum, namely Gabriele Finaldi, to become Assistant Director. This was a long time in the making, a really excellent signing. He provided new blood, blood as clean and pure as the blood of Velázquez’s Christ on the Cross. These were also peaceful years, because we all knew that we would not be leaving the Museum, and those who were outside the door knew there was no chance of getting in. We have to recognise this as well, because there is always a number in the case of the Prado who are shouting “Me, me, me….” And that’s all good and well. But those were peaceful years.