The Museo Nacional del Prado temporarily incorporates a work by Jacopo Carucci, known as Pontormo, a 16th-century Italian painter. It is The Visitation, an oil on panel composed of five poplar wood panels. The piece is part of the Guest Work program and will remain in the museum for six weeks thanks to the collaboration of the Friends of the Museo del Prado Foundation. This is the first time a work by this artist has been exhibited in Spain.
Conservation of poplar panels and their exhibition assembly 🖼️
The work, being painted on five poplar wood panels, requires specific humidity and temperature conditions to prevent warping or cracks. The Prado has prepared a climate-controlled display case and an LED lighting system that minimizes infrared and ultraviolet radiation. The assembly required a metal support that distributes the weight without stressing the joints between the panels. This type of intervention is common for large-format panels, but in this case, precision has been maximized due to the fragility of the wood and the original paint layer.
Six weeks to see it, eighty years to request it ⏳
Pontormo took decades to arrive in Spain, but will stay only six weeks. For art lovers, it is like inviting a distinguished friend to dinner who leaves before dessert. That said, at least we won't have to return paintings from the permanent collection to make room for it. In the meantime, it's time to queue, look carefully, and hope the Friends of the Prado Foundation repeats the feat with another forgotten artist on the pending list.