July 27, 2011. (Romereports.com) In a first for the world of art, 'The Descent' by Caravaggio is visiting Spain. The Vatican Museums have loaned the painting to the Prado Museum in Madrid for World Youth Day. It will take part in the exhibition 'The Word made image' which consists of 14 masterpieces on the life of Christ.
Along with this piece by Caravaggio, visitors can see works such as 'Christ crucified' by Velázquez, 'The Resurrection' from El Greco, 'The Trinity' by Ribera, 'Agnus Dei' by Zurbarán' and 'The Good Shepherd' by Murillo.
The Flemish School of Art will be well represented with 'The Descent from the Cross', by Van der Weyden and 'The Adoration of the Magi' by Rubens. Among the works of Italian masters is 'The Annunciation' by Fra Angelico, 'The Washing' by Tintoretto and 'Jesus among the doctors in the Temple' by Veronese.
The exhibit will open from July 21 until September 18. During World Youth Day, from August 16th to the 21st all the young pilgrims can enjoy free access to the Prado. And to accommodate the number of visitors, the museum will be open until midnight.
This exhibit is one of the 300 cultural programs for World Youth Day and is one of the three major exhibitions. The other two include 'Encounters', an exhibit on religious paintings from the fourteenth to the seventeenth century at the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum. As well as a contemporary art exhibit 'Art and Faith' in the Pons Foundation of Madrid.
