Day at the Prado

"Fraile Mendigando," Mariano Fortuny, watercolor on paper, 268mm h x 155mm w, Prado Museum

Beginning with the Print and Drawing Room.

The biggest treats of all (there are lots!) of the many art historical trips I've taken with Rob Liberace are our visits to the Print and Drawing rooms of the top museums in the World. There, collections of drawing, watercolors, etchings await the scholar, enthusiast who has the know-how to tap into those behind the scenes works for a private viewing.

This morning we looked at drawings by Juan Conchillos y Falcó, Ubaldo Gandolfi,

"Maria Teresa de Madrazo," Mariano Fortuny (1878), watercolor, 143mm h x 110mm w

Giovanni Brocca, Federico de Madrazo y Kuntz, Goya, Mariano Fortuny, Martin Rico y Ortega and José Jiménez Aranda.  The best supporting actors (my opinion) were the Goyas and the Aranda. The stars were two watercolors by Mariano Fortuny.

We viewed many paintings in the Spanish wing in the Prado after leaving the Print and Drawing room. Diego Velasquez's "Las Meninas" got the attention it so richly deserves. A complete and total masterpiece that speaks volumes about the painter.  Lots more, but not enough time to cover it all, sleep and move on to the next adventure.

Getting a late start on a painting in the gardens next to the Palacio Real

I DID paint today ... just late. I don't want all of my paintings from Spain to be nocturnes since this is such a colorful place. Today's venue was in the gardens adjacent to the Palacio Real de Madrid. With little time to work, today's painting is an 8"x10" which may appear later. Although it is small, I may have to return to the same spot for another session. The light disappeared so soon after setting up!

While I know of few palaces at home in Northern Virginia, we will find some beautiful gardens to paint in ... should you decide to sign up for my Painting the Plein Air Landscape that starts late April.

Sign Up for Classes -- In Virgina
Registration is going on now for Spring classes -- Tuesday nights, 6:30pm to 9:30pm for Evening Paint and Thursdays, 10am to 2pm for Painting the Plein Air Landscape.  Take a look at my Classes page and I hope you'll join us.


Call for Artists
Plus, if you enjoy plein air painting, consider registering for Paint Great Falls! (Great Falls VA) to capture the town from May 28 to 30 with a Quick Draw event on May 31, 10am to noon.  Registration is now open at www.greatfallsart.org/plein-air.

Thanks for reading!

Jill

Phone: 703.403.7435
Email: jill@jillbanks.com
Web: www.JillBanks.com
Blog: jillbanks.blogspot.com

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See the Events page for more info/updates

April 10 to May 1: Women Painters of the Southeast Juried Exhibition, Blue Ridge, GA

May 2 & 3: A-RTS @ Rockville Town Square, Rockville, MD

May 12-16:  Wayne Plein Air, Wayne and Philadelphia, PA. Juried as one of 30 artists nationwide to paint the area.

May 30-31: Art on the Green and Paint Great Falls, Outdoor Art Show (under a tent) and plein air competition and exhibit, Great Falls, VA

June 5-7: Rittenhouse Square: The Original Art Show, Philadelphia, PA. 

June 18-21: VA Beach Boardwalk Art Show, Virginia Beach, VA. Visit my booth right on the boardwalk.

June 29-July 5: Telluride Plein Air, Telluride, CO.  Juried as one of 32 artists who will spend the week painting this very cool town lined with Victorian houses, bustling street against a gorgeous mountainous backdrop.

July 11-12: Wickford Art Festival, Wickford, RI.

December 3-6: One Of A Kind Show & Sale, Merchandise Mart, Chicago, IL