Voces del Prado

A lot of life in the work done, eight years at the atelier

José Manso Gómez, Textile and Panel Painting Conservator, 1953-1992

I was called by Mr. Pérez Sánchez to teach for three months. I told him, "Listen, I can't teach anyone in just three months, it would be a waste of time." So he thought it over and managed to have me there for several years.
There are people who learned at the Atelier and are currently living off their trade. For instance, Pepe is working at the Prado Museum, and I'm very glad about that. He does a good job, I think he's very good at it. There are also two or three former apprentices at the Museum Reina Sofía.
My obligation was to fulfil my duty and teach. I'd stay on in the afternoon, around eight hours. I wasn't paid for those hours, but I didn't mind because I was enjoying it. Some days I even skipped lunch.
Machines are good for taking a board, cutting the sticks you need and leaving it all prepared. The rest was done by hand and there was life in the result. A painting, a sculpture or whatever, if you don't add some life to it, it's worth nothing. Not that it was executed better or worse. Life. You could draw life from the objects. When you saw a figure it had to be lively, it had to make you think. That was the nicest thing.