NOTE: some have asked who Julian is—from yesterday’s post. Most know I am from a fairly large family . . . Julian is my oldest brother’s, oldest daughter’s, oldest son. I guess this makes Julian my mother’s oldest great grandson. 😊 He is a college student studying in Madrid this semester. Lucky Julian!
Palacio Real de Madrid this morning and Museo Del Prado this afternoon.
The Royal Palace is the official residence of the Spanish royal family at the city of Madrid, although now used only for state ceremonies. The palace has 1,450,000 sq ft of floor space and 3,418 rooms. Eat your heart out French people and Brits, they told us that this is the largest royal palace in Europe.
This pastel ceiling fresco lies above the Grand Staircase, where kings and queens and millions of us tourists have trod. It’s by the Rococo artist Corrado Giauinto and it shows The Triumph of Religion and the Church.
It was made in Madrid during the reign of King Carlos III. Today’s King does not wear the country’s crown
— in fact, no Spanish monarch does. I think the French and Brits may own the crown thing.
Museo Del Prado – no pictures.
The museum contains the most complete collections in the world of the works of El Greco, Velázquez, and Francisco de Goya, as well as of such Spanish masters as José de Ribera and Francisco de Zurbarán. It also has a rich assortment of other major European painters.
The Prado Museum’s great collection of Spanish painting comprises its core capital. It’s the most important collection of Spanish painting in terms of quality and quantity in the world and enjoys international prestige. Amongst the various works and artists it encompasses, the collection of works by Spanish painter Francisco de Goya is probably the highlight.
I think my favorite paintings, that I remember, are,
- Saturn (1820–23). Goya
- Las meninas (1656). Velázquez
- The Allegory of Peace (c. 1660). Rubens
- The Nobleman with his Hand on his Chest. El Greco
- really, so many, hard to decide.
Tomorrow I am going to be eating my way through San Miquel and Anton Martin markets with Julie and Julian. Can’t wait. Yum!
Dream to Travel from NCM 