Madrid

Velázquez and Goya in the Prado Museum in Madrid, how to see their works

Prado Museum on the Prado promenade in Madrid
Prado Museum on the Prado promenade in Madrid

Of all the great painters by whom you can find works in the Prado Museum in Madrid, possibly they are Velázquez y Goya who arouse more interest on the part of visitors.

In your visit to the Prado Museum You will be able to enjoy their paintings, since most of the masterpieces of these painters are concentrated in this Madrid art gallery, and it is one of the main reasons why the Museo del Prado It has earned the prestige of being the most important art gallery in the world.

If you would like to see the essential masterpieces of the Prado Museum, the paintings of Velázquez and Goya They will be a highlight of your visit.

Next, I propose a route to go directly to see them.

Where to see the works of Velázquez in the Prado Museum

After entering the interior of the museum through the Goya's High Gate, which is located on the upper level of the ticket office area, you arrive at the large central gallery on floor 1.

As you advance along it, in the middle of its journey, on the left, you have access to what is possibly the most visited room of the Prado Museum, the large room 12 where some of the masterpieces of the painter Velázquez.

In the preferred place in this room you find "Las Meninas", maybe Velázquez's most famous work.

"Las Meninas" by Diego Velazquez - Copyright: Museo Nacional del Prado
“Las Meninas” by Diego Velazquez – Copyright: Museo Nacional del Prado

But in this same room you can also see other great masterpieces such as "The drunks", "Forge", “The Count Duke of Olivares on horseback” and the different paintings of the jesters.

When you leave room 12 towards the immediate rooms, in the successive rooms 15A and 16, you will find other masterpieces by Velázquez, such as "Spinners", “Christ crucified”, “Philip IV hunter” o "Aesop".

Specifically, you should not miss the majestic painting of “The Spears or the Surrender of Breda” in room 16.

Returning to the large main gallery on the 1st floor, at the back, on the opposite side to the entrance, you have an octagonal room where in a prominent place you will see the first major work of Goya, “The Family of Charles IV”.

Where to see the works of Velázquez in the Prado Museum

Very close you can see more Goya's masterpieces what's in the Museo del Pradoas “La Maja naked” and “Maja dressed” (room 36), or the portraits of “Charles IV” y "Maria Luisa" (room 38).

"The Executions of May 3, 1808" by Goya - Coppyright: Museo Nacional del Prado
“The Executions of May 3, 1808” by Goya – Coppyright: Museo Nacional del Prado

If you want to see the best examples of another facet of Goya As a painter, the festive and colorful paintings he made for tapestry sketches, from this area on floor 1 you have access to floor 2.

In the small rooms on this floor you will find outstanding paintings such as "Sun visor" (room 85) or “Blind's Hen” (room 94).

Through this same area you can now go down to floor 0 of the Museo del Prado, and here immediately (rooms 64 to 67) you will find another of the most spectacular facets of the Goya painting, its black paint.

Among all these paintings, you can see other great masterpieces, “The executions of May 3, 1808 in Madrid” o  "Saturn devouring his son".

In short, a walk through the best works that already justify a visit to this Madrid museum.

About the Author

José Luis Sarralde

Journalist and traveler throughout his life, José Luis Sarralde is the founder of Guías Viajar, where since 2008 he has been capturing his travel experiences around the world, specializing in cultural and scenic destinations in Spain and Europe.

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