Designed by Juan de Villanueva, the building that houses the Museo del Prado has always been an indispensable landmark in Madrid’s urban landscape. Since the mid 1820s, numerous artists have taken an interest in depicting it in the wooded setting of the Paseo del Prado. Draftsmen such as Carlos de Vargas (act. 1824-32) and painters such as Fernando Barbila (1763-1834) created models that became wi