Voces del Prado

Fernando Álvarez de Sotomayor, David Manso and Mariano Moreno

Carlos Manso Manso, General Operations Service Technician (Photographer), 1953-1999

My father’s name was David Manso Martín and he joined the Museo del Prado because he was a policeman and he was posted there. He became friends with the Director [Fernando Álvarez de] Sotomayor and had some knowledge of photography. At that time there was no Photography Laboratory at the Museum. They would sometimes call the photographer [Mariano] Moreno to take shots of the paintings, especially the restorers. My father became friends with Moreno and Sotomayor, holding long conversations with them. There came a point when Sotomayor proposed that he should set up a Photography Laboratory at the Museo del Prado. Moreno and my father agreed to do so. My father also insisted on hiring one other person, which is how Manuel Olivares joined.