Individual Experience: How to Read Paintings at the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum
About this experience
The Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum is known as the true 'alphabet' of art, where you can study the history of European painting from the 13th to the 21st century. I invite you to dive into the world of beauty together: to learn to 'read' art in a simple way, distinguish painting styles, and the technique of great artists. Visiting any museum will now be much more interesting for you!
'No, I am not El Prado, I am different...'
Dürer, Titian, Caravaggio, Rembrandt, Goya, Van Gogh, Picasso, Dalí - the list of great names within the museum walls is impressive! Here you will find the best collection of impressionists in Spain, an unprecedented collection of American paintings and icons in Europe, and works by Flemish primitives. Unlike the popular Prado, the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum is small and very intimate, avoiding crowds and congestion around each painting.
What to Expect
Art beyond time. We will start with the oldest work in the museum's collection - icons from the 13th century. We will pay attention to its features, understand why an icon is not a painting and exists beyond time.
Insight through portraits. In another hall, you will learn how to 'read' portraits and determine their purpose. Why is the beauty Giovanna Tornabuoni depicted in profile, and why does Henry VIII gaze at the viewer? We will find out this and also talk about the fates of the characters, the curious fashion of the past, and the curious use of different objects.
Interpreting symbols. I will tell you about the significance of light and color in paintings of different eras, about the symbolism of animals and plants, and help you understand the 'wild' images of surrealists.
Artists' life stories. Stories from the lives of artists will run as a red line throughout the tour. The twists of Rembrandt's fate, the tragedy of Van Gogh, Picasso's creative quests. We will find out what outraged Caravaggio's contemporaries and what El Greco was accused of. You will see that even a small detail can reveal its secret: for example, an unnoticed signature on a painting will tell us about the personal tragedy of the artist.
Organizational Details
- The tour covers the main collection of the museum. You can visit the Carmen Thyssen collection (ground floor) on your own after the tour.
- Tickets are paid separately. Price - 13 euros, seniors - 9 euros, children under 18 free. The guide does not need a ticket. Headphones - 1 euro/person.
- Important! Tickets are purchased by the guide in advance on the museum's website, and the money for the tickets must be transferred to the guide in advance. It is possible to purchase tickets on-site, but in this case, I cannot guarantee entry to the pinacoteca at the time you reserved, as the museum regulates the number of groups.
