Submitted by Maxwell Poruban the 2024 Spring program in Granada, Spain…
As a child I didn’t enjoy art, much less understand what it represented. I’ve aged, and although I can’t say I understand it much more than I did as a child I certainly appreciate the effort, talent, and cultures that it represents. This past week I had the opportunity to visit Madrid’s Golden Triangle or the Triangle of Art whose vertices are marked by the Museo del Prado, the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía, and the Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza. Combined, these three museums encompass the very best of Spanish painters as well as one of the best collections of European art in the world. The collections include works from Picasso, Goya, Velazquez, Rubens, El Greco, Bosch, Dalí and so many other greats of the painting world. The Triangle of Art itself has been named a UNESCO World Heritage Site alongside Retiro Park, which sits just to the east of the triangle. All three of these museums are free or discounted for students under the age of 25 and relatively affordable otherwise; something that is much less frequent for museums of any type in the United States. I enjoyed seeing many paintings that I have only seen photos of or heard discussed by my Spanish language professors, including Guernica by Pablo Picasso. My favorites were the variety of Flemish paintings and, surprisingly, landscapes of the American countryside. Overall, I enjoyed Madrid’s Golden Triangle of Art and relaxed during the beginning of my spring break. (Submitted on March 27, 2024)