With the dropping of the camera, that also distorted the internals of my camera lens so my camera has been out of action for quite some time as I didn't get it fixed (Which would set me back around AU$250!).
Instead I thought I would be brave and pick up a set of screw drivers and tackle the problem, thinking I'm some sort of an engineer. Couple of hours later, with me sitting in a dark room peaking down through my glasses as it sits on the tip of my nose with just the lamp shining on my desk, I finally get the lens to work.
The focus ring of the camera lens wouldn't move when I broke it but now, after this rather engineer'ic surgery, the focus ring moves! However, disappointment is near as the focus is still not working too well after some shots... Perhaps next time when I get a tad bit more time I would perform a stage 2 surgery on my camera lens :)
Well with that introduction, don't expect any photos with this post... If you are, too bad, because even if my camera lens was working... I couldn't take photos in the gallery!
So you only have my words and your imagination to paint the picture of the experience and the paintings I admired. Oh and here might be of some help if you're the type that under-performs when it comes to imagining things.
Amazing and unique experience I have to admit, visiting the exhibition, as I'm not normally the type of person that would visit an art gallery (As I feel, to appreciate art one must know that era's events. History is very important and my knowledge of history goes as far back as World War 1, and a tad bit of the caveman ages).
The journey through the gallery started off with volunteers greeting me at the entrance, they were super kind and friendly I must say! The volunteers are there to take us around the gallery as a tour, they will explain all the paintings to us. You can hear their passion as they explain and share their knowledge of each painting!
We started making our way through the gallery and there were other volunteers taking other groups on tours, so I inevitably ducked off every now and then from my group quickly and popped by another volunteer's group just to see what it was like. The volunteers were all amazing, the knowledge they have really makes the tour an exciting one! Another thing that added to my experience was their passion, because they are so passionate, each volunteer had their own perspective about the paintings, so it's really interesting and intriguing to hear their interpretations.
The tour itself took roughly 1 hour - 1.5 hours, as I started browsing through the paintings myself after a while. As I am not familiar with this era that the paintings were from and so with all the information the volunteers were pouring out, I felt like I was overloaded with information! A slow stroll around the gallery was really amazing, especially that every section of the gallery had a different theme.
There was this one painting that was MASSIVE, I just stood there and stared at it for like 10-20min... The details on the painting was extraordinary! I swear I thought I was watching a FULL HD (1080p) movie... (But I pressed Pause so the image just stayed still :P ).
There were many more paintings that the details are just amazing I consider them to be FULL HD. I suppose I'm more familiar with technological terms these days, I use them as metaphors!
Well, in the end of the Prado gallery experience there were the souvenir store, and wow that took another 20min out of my time :P
I would say I spent a total of roughly 2-3 hours that day, after the gallery there was a cafe with amazing atmosphere (Free entrance with Prado's ticket). In the cafe, there were other facilities that added to the gallery experience, I remember there was a classical guitarist playing, along with some computers that you could draw with a stylus and photo booths.
Relaxing at the cafe I decided to take a photo at the photo booth and I have to say... I feel like a boss afterwards...
I had to answer some personality questions before the I could take the photo, just so it can find a good portrait/painting that suits me.
The portrait I got? It was a portrait of "Phillip IV as hunter (Felipe IV en traje de cazador) c. 1633"
So as you see, I am suited to become a king, maybe not during the 1630s but I'm sure my time will come...
That was a positive note for me to conclude my tour at Prado.
As I am a person that doesn't visit art galleries much, I have to admit that my experience at the Prado made me consider going to more art galleries in the future.
You should too, you never know, you might see a portrait of me as a king ;)
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