Let's get some culture here!

Mine are-

1. The Triumph of Bacchus, Velasquez
2. Las Meninas, Velasquez
3. The Milkmaid of Bordeaux, Goya
4. (Tie) Both Gardens of the Villa Medici, Velasquez
5. Garden of Earthly Delights, Bosch

Well, I don't know so well the Prado and I'm also a fan of The Bosch, anyway I couldn't decided between any of these other six:
Goya - Aquelarre
http://museoprado.mcu.es/aquelarreg.html
Goya - Fusilamientos del 3 de mayo
http://museoprado.mcu.es/34.html
El Greco - La Trinidad
http://museoprado.mcu.es/81.html
El Greco - La adoración de los pastores
http://museoprado.mcu.es/76a.html
Velazquez - La fragua de Vulcano
http://museoprado.mcu.es/61a.html
Velazquez - Cristo crucificado
http://www.portalmundos.com/mundoarte/grandesgenios/velazquez/velazquez30.htm

I always feel overwhelmed in the Prado - I need to only look at little bits at a time, otherwise the pictures lose their individuality due to overload.

However,I always find myself drawn to one of Miguelitos choices:

GOYA - FUSILAMIENTOS DEL 3 DE MAYO

and
THE SURRENDER OF BREDA by Velázquez

The first because it always makes me feel shocked, as if I shouldn't be looking at it somehow (?) and the second because it shows such humilty.

I also find some of the portraits compelling, especially the ones that Goya did of one of the Queens (eeek, ignorant, can't remember which one), and each time he deliberately made her look more ugly than the time before (I believe he didn't much care for her).

Oh .. and the endless speculation involved in THE FAMILY OF PHILIP IV OR \'LAS MENINAS\' (as you also chose, Mongo) is intriguing too.

Sorry I haven't come up with 5 - I need to go back and check them out again

Jo

Incase anyone has access to

BBC2 on Monday 26 January at 7pm

there's a programme called

THE PRIVATE LIFE OF A MASTERPIECE

It's about Goya's Fusilamientos del 3 de mayo



I think it's based on a book of the same name, about several paintings, but may be interesting for those who are intigued by this one

Jo

Isn't there an scary painting of a monster-type thing biting off a guy's head? Who painted that and what is that all about?

I liked that one and the garden of earthly delights.

It is one of my favorite paintings! ( is that weird or what? I don't know what about it---I think it is his eyes!)
Saturno devorando a su hijo ---Francisco de Goya

The most impressionable thing about the Prado is its humbleness! Here you have nondescript buildings housing some of the world's best art! I was amazed by its collection! The Roman and Greek room is one of my favorites. I was also amazed by the fact that people were actually touching these statues!

My favorites are:

1. The Maids of Honour -Las Meninas - Velazquez, its size alone is humbling. Having seen it for so many years staring at me out of our Humanities textbook, it was a shock to me when I entered the sala and looked across the way, there were the little Infantas looking at me!
How emotional!

2. The Naked Maja -La Maja Desnuda - maybe not Goya's best work, but you have to admit, it is a lovely painting.

3. Crucified Christ -El Cristo Crucificado- Velazquez - The dejection emanating from this Christ never fails to move me to sadness.

4. The Annunciation -La Anunciación- de Fra Angelico, also a favorite, I love the background view of the expulsion of Adam and Eve, and a teenage Mary with her look of surprised wonderment as the Archangel Gabriel gives her the news. The colors are beyond belief, so bright and shiny!

5. Juan de Juanes The Last Supper - La Ultima Cena! I love the colors and the Arabic doorway in the background!

One of my favorites is Francisco de Goya's La Pradera. You can actualy pick out some of the landmarks of Madrid in this 200 and some years old painting.

My all time fave:

Goya\'s La Vendimia

Miro - almost everything .... and I plead guilty to moving the conversation out of the Prado