Prado lecture series revisits José Aparicio's 'Year of Hunger'
The Museo Nacional del Prado in Madrid will host a lecture series titled 'Una obra, una historia: el cuadro del hambre' from May 13 to May 23, 2026, focusing on José Aparicio's 1818 painting 'El año del hambre en Madrid'. The series aims to reexamine the painting, which was both celebrated and reviled in its time, and discuss myths of artistic progress, tensions between tradition and modernity, and art's role in nationalist fiction. Speakers include Celia Guilarte Calderón de la Barca (Head of Communication and Corporate Affairs at the Prado), Daniel Crespo Delgado (Art History professor at Universidad Complutense de Madrid), María Bolaños (PhD in Art History), and José Manuel Matilla (Head of the Collection of Drawings, Prints, and Photographs at the Prado). The lectures will be held in the Prado auditorium, with free entry on a first-come basis; recordings will be published online afterward.
Key facts
- Lecture series runs May 13–23, 2026 at Museo Nacional del Prado.
- Focuses on José Aparicio's 1818 painting 'El año del hambre en Madrid'.
- Four speakers: Celia Guilarte Calderón de la Barca, Daniel Crespo Delgado, María Bolaños, José Manuel Matilla.
- Topics include the painting's reception, nationalism in art, birth of public museums, and Goya's 'Disasters of War'.
- Free entry, no online streaming, but recordings will be published.
- Painting was celebrated and parodied during Fernando VII's reign.
- Series discusses myths of artistic progress and tradition vs. modernity.
- Target audience: university students, researchers, professionals, general public.
Entities
Artists
- José Aparicio
- Francisco de Goya
Institutions
- Museo Nacional del Prado
- Universidad Complutense de Madrid
Locations
- Madrid
- Spain