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The Inauguration of the Moneo Halls: A Courageous Project
José Luis Díez García, Head of the Department of Conservation of 19th Century Painting, 1988-2013The Inauguration of the Moneo Halls: A Courageous Project
José Luis Díez García, Head of the Department of Conservation of 19th Century Painting, 1988-2013
It’s highly risky and extremely courageous to inaugurate a new building when the whole world is watching. What’s that you’re doing there? How can you inaugurate with that? If you open with Goya it’s a guaranteed success. With Rubens and Titian as well. Shall we open with the Execution by Firing Squad of Torrijos by Antonio Gisbert, which is likely to provide the backdrop for the official photo of Their Majesties the King and Queen, accompanied by Their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess of Asturias? Well that’s what we did, and that really was the definitive test. If it worked, it meant that we had arrived. If it failed, we would have to rethink what we were going to do with the collections, even reconsider whether they would remain inside the Museum, which would be the next challenge. We opened as I have described, and I think it went off well. The next step was to incorporate these collections into the halls of the Villanueva Building.
Head of the Department of Conservation, pertaining to the Department of the 19th Century. He was the Head of the Department of 19th Century Art from 1992 to 2002. He was appointed General Assistant Director of Conservation in 2002 and held that position until 2006. He has been the Director of the Spanish National Heritage Royal Collections since 2014.
Interview recorded on May 23, 2018
Interview index
17 / 21-
Twenty-Six Consecutive Years -
Marvellous Collections and Professionals of International Renown -
Exhibitions in the 1980’s -
The Nineteenth Century Collections and the Casón del Buen Retiro -
Restoring the Reputation of Nineteenth Century Painting -
Masterclasses from Pérez Sánchez -
A Lesson in Life -
The Grand Velázquez Exhibition -
The Opportune Time and Place: Madrid, European Capital of Culture -
The Guernica Is Moved -
The 175th Anniversary of the Museum: Madrazo in the Villanueva Building -
A Schooling in Management -
Renovation Works at the Casón: The Collections Are Stored Away Again -
Poring Over Plans Again: The Moneo Extension -
The Experience of Being Assistant Director -
Digitalisation of the Photography Archive -
The Inauguration of the Moneo Halls: A Courageous Project -
2009: Total Sorolla -
The Museum of the Future: New Perspectives -
A Leave of Absence to Become the Head of National Heritage -
I Was There
- Collective
- Conservation
- Chronology
- 2000-2010
- RDF
- RDF
Collective
Conservation
Ana Gutiérrez Márquez
Senior Technician of Museums (Conservation of 19th Century Painting), 1975-2018
Pilar Silva Maroto
Head of the Department of Conservation of Flemish Painting and the Northern Schools up to 1700, 1997-2017
Juan Luna Fernández
Head of the Department of Conservation of 18th Century Painting, 1969-2016
Manuela Mena Marqués
Head of the Department of Conservation of 18th Century Painting and Goya, 1978-2019
Theme
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Voces del Prado