Prado Museum opens Ricardo de Madrazo show on 13 October

The Prado Museum opened the Ricardo de Madrazo exhibition in Madrid on 13 October 2026, bringing the artist's drawings, watercolours and sketchbooks into view. The exhibition runs until 17 January 2027 and is the first at the museum devoted exclusively to Federico de Madrazo's youngest son.

Presented in Room 60 of the Villanueva Building, the display also includes a self-portrait and personal documents. It offers a current reason to visit the Spanish capital's principal art museum beyond its permanent collection.

Ricardo de Madrazo exhibition runs at the Prado to 17 January

The exhibition is part of Almacén abierto, a programme centred on lesser-known artists and holdings from the nineteenth century. The museum's official page places the show at the Villanueva Building from 13 October 2026 to 17 January 2027, with Pedro J. Martínez Plaza of the nineteenth-century painting collection as curator.

The selection follows Madrazo's work on paper across several themes. It includes studies after older paintings, Orientalist subjects, urban views, landscapes and intimate scenes connected with his travels and family life. The presentation brings together material that has rarely been seen publicly as a single group.

The exhibition also reflects a long process of collecting. The museum says that its acquisitions have assembled 29 of Madrazo's drawing notebooks, allowing visitors to follow his work across almost five decades. The Prado's official exhibition page identifies the venue, dates and contents.

Room 60 links Madrazo with the Prado's nineteenth-century art

Room 60 has operated as a space for showing and studying nineteenth-century holdings since 2009. In 2026 it adopted the Almacén abierto name, linking the Ricardo de Madrazo display to the museum's continuing work on artists and works that have received less public attention.

Madrazo was born in Madrid in 1852 and died in 1917. He was the youngest son of Federico de Madrazo, and his family connections placed him within one of the important artistic networks of nineteenth-century Spain. His brother Raimundo and his brother-in-law Mariano Fortuny achieved greater international recognition, while the new display concentrates on Ricardo's independent work.

The paper works show the range of his practice. Sketchbooks contain studies, copies, views and observations made in places including Madrid, Rome, Naples, Granada, Toledo, Venice, Tangier and Fez. This travel record gives the exhibition a geographical structure without separating drawing from everyday observation.

The building adds another historical layer. Designed by Juan de Villanueva in 1785 for a Natural History Cabinet, it became the Royal Museum of Paintings and Sculptures and opened to the public in November 1819. The museum's history of the building places the temporary display within a site whose original scientific purpose preceded its role as an art museum.

Visiting Prado Museum: what travellers from Western Europe should know

• The Ricardo de Madrazo exhibition opened on 13 October 2026 and remains at the Prado Museum until 17 January 2027.
• The exhibition is in Room 60 of the Villanueva Building, within the museum complex on Paseo del Prado in Madrid.
• Madrid transport links listed for the venue include Atocha, Banco de España and Estación del Arte stations, with Madrid-Atocha also served by local trains.
• Spanish is the official language of Spain and the national currency is the euro.

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Frequently asked questions about Prado Museum

When does the Ricardo de Madrazo exhibition take place at Prado Museum?

The exhibition runs from 13 October 2026 to 17 January 2027.

Where is Prado Museum and how do you get there?

The museum is on Paseo del Prado in Madrid. The listed transport links include Atocha, Banco de España and Estación del Arte stations.

What is Prado Museum?

It is Spain's national art museum, housed in a building designed by Juan de Villanueva and opened to the public in November 1819.