Voces del Prado

The Royal Trust of the 1960s. Bonds with the Academy

Matías Díaz Padrón, Technical Advisor and Head of the Department of Conservation of Flemish Painting and the Northern Schools up to 1700, 1970-2005

The atmosphere back in the day was one of very few people, the place was closed off to the outside world. I have fond memories of the Trust, the Prado Museum Trust, a bit different to that of today, made up by art specialists, lecturers, professors, former curators who were retired, fundamentally focusing on painting. Then there was a group of collectors, aristocrats of renown, an ambassador or two, all concerned about the Prado Museum. I must also note that there were closer ties to sculpture, when Blanco Freijeiro was there. I remember these characters, some names I cannot recall, Cavestany [Julio Cavestany de Anduaga] or the Marquis of Montesa [Antonio Marichalar y Rodríguez], I remember them well. I would see them talking to the director and the deputy director, commenting the problems they saw. They would say, "Such and such orderly said this, such and such watchman said that." At the workshops they also spoke, giving their opinion, always in a kind fashion and always relevant. They were people who knew about painting and knew the Prado Museum closely.