Introduction
What kind of knowledge does art give us? Why do we value it? What factors shape its creation? Questions like these lie at the heart of Pensar el Prado, the Museum’s new audiovisual project, which aims to help the public deepen their relationship with works of art. The channel is hosted by Alejandro Vergara, Head of the Collection of Flemish and Northern Schools Painting at the Museo Nacional del Prado, who leads the conversations with the guests. Several episodes have already been released on the Prado’s website and on YouTube:
- The presence of Classical Antiquity in the Art of Painting, a conversation with Robin Lane Fox
- Philosophy and Art, a conversation with Alva Noë
- Painting and Literature, a conversation with Salman Rushdie
During this event, Alejandro Vergara will talk with attendees about the themes explored in these episodes and share his vision and plans for the future of the channel.
Important note: to get the most out of the session, proposed as a dialogue, it is essential that attendees watch the videos beforehand.
Additional information
Limited places are available and will be assigned by registration only.
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Image credits: Nicolas Poussin, Paisaje con edificios, 1648 | Copyright © 2026 Museo Nacional del Prado
Images
Speaker
Alejandro Vergara is Head of the Flemish Painting and Northern Schools Collection at the Museo Nacional del Prado. He holds a degree in Art History from the Complutense University of Madrid and a PhD in Art History from the Institute of Fine Arts, New York University, with a doctoral thesis on Rubens’s relationship with Spain. He has taught art history at the University of California, San Diego, and Columbia University, New York, before joining the Museo del Prado as a curator in 1999. A specialist in the painting of Rubens and 17th-century Flemish painting, he has also researched 16th- and 17th-century Dutch painting. At the Museo del Prado he has curated several exhibitions, including the recent “El taller de Rubens” (2024).
Ponente
Alejandro Vergara
Curator at the Prado Museum – PhD in Art History