Voces del Prado

The end of the mandate

José María Luzón Nogué, Museum Director, 1994-1996

The end of my mandate was a courteous, educated affair, because I knew the minister. She told me they were going to appoint somebody else. The day arrived, the appointment was published and the time to take possession had come. It took place in the main gallery of the Museum. I met the President of the Government, who had come to be present when the new director of the Prado Museum took possession. What a difference. I was appointed on the phone in Atocha and this time, here was the President. I received him because I was the Director. The act took place in the main hall, I shook hands and embraced him because we had been to the same University and I went home through the same door that I had come in through when I arrived. Director of the Prado was an office that was subject to those things, it was a Directorate General of the Ministry. There was a change of government and out went the director of the Prado, something that shouldn't happen but that's how things functioned. I have no regrets. I do wish I had had more means and more time.