Throughout history, museums have provided inspiration for artists who have gone to contemplate and study the works of their predecessors on display, sometimes to follow their teachings and occasionally to challenge them. In both cases, the dialogue between the artists of the past and the present has proved enormously fertile.

On the occasion of the Bicentennial of the Museo del Prado, the Fundación Amigos has invited twelve contemporary photographers to work with the pieces held by the Museum. The result is a collection of twenty-four photographs that reflect upon the artistic wealth and historical significance of the Prado while demonstrating that, two centuries after its opening, the Museum remains as inspirational as ever.

The artists who have contributed to this exhibition belong to three different generations with widely divergent ways of understanding and using photography. They have drawn inspiration not only from the works of the great masters in the Museum, but also from the building that houses their art and the people who visit it. Each of these photographers have converted their thoughts and reflections into perspectives that materialize on paper, bearing witness both to the Prado’s evocative power and to the creative capacity of those who have produced this collection of photographs.

The portfolio has been exhibited at the Museo Nacional del Prado and is part of the Museum´s legacy. In addition to the acquisition of this portfolio, an important patronage mission is made, being that it contributes to the support of the Museum.