Voces del Prado

The Pleasures of the Museum

Gabriele Finaldi, Assistant Director of Conservation and Research, 2002-2015

It is a pleasure to wander through the Museo del Prado and its collections of works by Velázquez, Murillo, Goya and Rubens, works that were painted and then brought to Madrid to form part of the Royal Collection, from whence they passed directly to the Museo del Prado. These works preserve all their soul, their strength, their skin … it’s the best way I can describe it. For me it’s always a great pleasure to wander around the Museum’s halls.
Another of the aspects that brought me great pleasure was my relationship with the curators and restorers at the Museum. I believe we are lucky in the sense that we possess a truly excellent group of curators at the Museo del Prado, some of whom are the leading experts in their field. Not to mention the restorers … the Prado has a marvellous group of restorers. The Museum has become the main centre for painting restoration in Spain and I believe it is world-renowned for the quality of its restorations.