Prado Museum Uses AI to Transform Masterpieces Under Eclipse Light

The Museo del Prado in Madrid has launched an audiovisual project titled 'El Prado en la luz del eclipse' that uses artificial intelligence to simulate the effect of a solar eclipse on 11 paintings from its collection. The initiative anticipates the solar eclipse of August 12, 2026, which is expected to be a major event in Spain. The project transforms works by Velázquez, Goya, Rubens, Jan Brueghel, Dürer, José de Ribera, Carlos de Haes, and others, progressively altering the incidence of light to reveal new shadows and details. The production was handled by the studio AMB Piensa, combining AI video generation, digital creation, and conventional graphic intervention. While AI was used to simulate depth, camera movements, and the gradual shadow of the eclipse, each sequence underwent manual review to preserve the original composition and pictorial technique. The museum views the technology not as a special effect but as a tool to engage audiences, especially those unfamiliar with museums, by using the eclipse as a pretext to re-examine known paintings and understand how lighting affects visual experience. The video is available as part of the Prado's digital programming dedicated to the eclipse.