Reflected secrets

The Prado museum in Madrid unfolds what some of its best opus withhold

From 21st of July until 5th of november 2006, the Prado museum in Madrid
will expose sixteen paintings with its correspondent infrared pictures
directed by Gabriele Finaldi and Carmen Garrido.

Certain paintings of the collection of the XV and XVI century, which the
Prado museum treasures, existe of more than only the superficial facade you
can only see with the human eye. In their paintings, talented and famous
artists like Rafael, El Bosco, Sandro Botticelli, Hans Memling, Jan
Gossaert, Mabuse and Pedro Berruguete build in certain artistic treasures,
which are hidden underneath their beautiful facades. Thanks to the ³occult
writing² and the colaborating project with the laboratory of optic
metrology the public is now able to explore some of those subjacent
pictures.

Even though the infrared had already been used during the seventeens, they
just started to use this technology for studies a few years ago. This
offers new ways of exploring antique paintings and its secrets, which had
been hidden for the human eyes for ages.


Birgit Vennemann