By RACHEL PIFER
GUEST WRITER
I remember the first time I walked into the Museo Nacional del Prado like it was yesterday. Everywhere I looked I saw amazing pieces of art of all styles and techniques. Paintings large and small hung up and down the halls and a few isolated sculptures sat perched in display cases. I recognized some that I had studied in previous classes, but most of the works were new to me. I was overwhelmed by the expansiveness of the museum and was not sure which way to look. As our professor guided us through the various rooms and halls towards the El Greco exhibition that was currently on display, I caught my first glimpse of the spaces where I would spend an hour and a half every Tuesday for the next ten weeks. We entered in the exhibition, and our first in-depth analysis and study began.
I do not have a strong background in art. I have always been able to appreciate a beautiful painting of a landscape or a still life so detailed it looks like a photograph, but I have never quite been able to understand how to interpret or ‘read’ a piece of art. When I saw I had the opportunity to take an art class in Madrid that included weekly visits to the Prado, I jumped at the chance to do something completely different and to hopefully learn more about a subject that fascinates so many people. I could not be happier with my art class. We have intensely studied El Greco, Velázquez, and Goya and we will shortly begin our analysis of Picasso.
Because there are only four of us in the class, the expectations in terms of participation are a lot higher than many of the classes I have taken before. We have intense, detail-oriented discussions during every session and there is never a second wasted. When we are assigned an article to read, we really have to read it (quickly skimming over an article five minutes before class is not a good strategy, and we all learned that very quickly).
The hours spent in the classroom are supplemented by our Tuesday trips to the Prado, which never cease to blow me away. Not only do we learn about the background of the paintings and the techniques used, but we also get to see the actual paintings hanging right in front of us. There is something incredible about standing in front of a work created hundreds of years ago and being able to see every individual detail and brushstroke. Seeing paintings from the same perspective as the artists who created them adds an extra element of appreciation, one that is difficult to understand by simply looking up the paintings on Google Images.
Now, every time I walk past a painting, my eyes and mind automatically start interpreting and analyzing. Is the composition closed or open? Is the light artificial or natural? What types of colors did the artist use, and are they tonal, vibrant, or muted? I have learned so much since our first visit to the Prado about all aspects of art, from how to identify the characteristic style of El Greco to analyzing the different themes and significance behind Goya’s particularly dark series, Las Pinturas Negras. It has been an amazing experience to study and learn in the native language and country of these incredible artists while having such easy access to some of their greatest works and achievements. Although this class has been quite the challenge, all the late nights spent studying, reviewing, and researching have been worth it. I have gained both a greater appreciation for and a better understanding of art that would not have been possible without this unforgettable experience.