Time and again, humans have shown their curiosity about… Find out the hidden side of thingsthe mysteries are inevitably hidden behind a key part that we already know.
Proof of this is the historical space race to explore what is commonly called The dark side of the moonOr unreleased songs that are often found on the B-side of vinyl records.
In this sense, the back of many great works of painting is one such part Little known but no less interesting: The pictorial support, in its own way, can contain as much history as the work itself, but it usually remains hidden once the paintings are hung on the wall.
Reflecting the hidden side of works of art
The Prado Museum, with the help of the AXA Foundation and curated by Miguel Ángel Blanco, offers us through its exhibition “Reversos” the opportunity to learn more about… Supports where some of the most famous paintings were takenThus obtaining a richer and more complete view of the artwork.
This is not the first time that The importance of reflections is raised Because these can reveal different aspects about the same business context, which is actually a widely studied topic.
For example, Materials used To build support they provide details about the time it was created and the investment made in it. Furthermore, the back of the fabric is often hidden Small drawings, notes or inscriptionsIn contrast to the front part, which carries the narrative weight of the artistic representation.
The exhibition will bring artists such as Van Gogh, Antoni Tapies, Vic Muniz, Max Lieberman and Sophie Calle to the Prado for the first time.
One function of adding notes or even stamps to fabric is to carry them Historical follow-up From the collectors who acquired them, the preservation processes they went through, and much more.
On the other hand, we also find that some artists have represented the back of their paintings on the front of the painting, which conveys… The importance of this support for the artist.
Exhibitionavailable from Tuesday, November 7, 2023 to March 3, 2024, will contain several chapters that will address different aspects of the paintings’ appearance through the work Famous artists who have already been shown at the Prado Museum, as well as some who will be shown for the first timesuch as Van Gogh, Antoni Tàpies, Vic Moniz, Max Liebermann or Sophie Calle, among many others.
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What does Las Meninas hide from Velazquez?
Specifically, one of the works that will open the exhibition An exact copy of the opposite Las Meninasthe symbolic painting of the great Spanish Baroque painting master: Diego Velazquez.
It’s about Exact reproduction, the only one in existencewhich will allow the huge canvas, 3.18 meters high and 2.76 meters wide, to be displayed in its usual location and in the exhibition room dedicated to the opposite.
The opposite of Meninas Vic Muniz
A replica of the reverse of Las Meninas, a work created by Vic Muniz as part of the “Verso” series.
Prado Museum / Vic Muniz
Fabric and frame measurements as well as materials, nails, stains and wood grain It was very accurately copied from a photograph It was taken in 2018, taking advantage of the lowering of the painting to conduct an artistic study of the work.
Some secrets hidden in the back of “Las meninas” are 6,340 linen threads Which contains his canvas, a small piece of metal from the 1920s made by the Cano family and that It is no longer manufactured today.And the distinctive oil stains that crossed the canvas during the painting process, which may indicate this This part has been repainted.
Rest Contextual data for this panel The extraordinary painting depicting the family of Philip IV can be discovered in the “Reversos” exhibition at the Prado Museum in Madrid.
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