Prado Museum unveils restored Caravaggio 'David and Goliath'
The Museo del Prado in Madrid has completed a three-month restoration of its sole Caravaggio artwork, 'David and Goliath', overseen by restorer Almudena Sánchez. This process unveiled new details, including the brightness surrounding David's head and the texture of Goliath's beard. Radiographic analysis showed that Caravaggio originally portrayed Goliath with a more intense expression. This restoration coincided with the inauguration of two new galleries (7 and 7A) that showcase naturalist paintings by 17th-century artists inspired by Caravaggio. 'David and Goliath' is one of four Caravaggio masterpieces in Spain, alongside 'Saint Catherine', 'Judith and Holofernes', and 'Penitent Saint Jerome', while the status of 'Ecce Homo', attributed to Caravaggio, remains unclear.
Key facts
- Restoration of Caravaggio's 'David and Goliath' at Museo del Prado completed in three months
- Restorer Almudena Sánchez led the intervention
- Removed dust and oxidized varnish layers that had yellowed the canvas
- Radiographic study revealed Caravaggio initially painted Goliath with a more dramatic expression
- Two new rooms (7 and 7A) dedicated to naturalist painting inaugurated
- David García Cueto is head curator of Italian and French painting
- Works by Massimo Stanzione, José de Ribera, Cecco del Caravaggio, Daniele Crespi, and Georges de La Tour are displayed
- 'David and Goliath' is one of four Caravaggio paintings in Spain
Entities
Artists
- Caravaggio (Michelangelo Merisi)
- Almudena Sánchez
- David García Cueto
- Massimo Stanzione
- José de Ribera
- Cecco del Caravaggio (Francesco Buoneri)
- Daniele Crespi
- Georges de La Tour
- Cristina Terzaghi
Institutions
- Museo del Prado
- Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum
- Royal Collections Gallery
- Montserrat Abbey
Locations
- Madrid
- Spain
- Malta
- Americas
- Milan
- Porto Ercole
- Catalonia